A Complete Wilde Hopps Adventure
by TatorTotTottish
Summary: Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde started out as a rabbit officer and a con artist fox, respectively. Through life-threatening cases, unexpected events, and plenty of drama, follow the pair as their relationship evolves, resulting in an unbreakable partnership. This is a "master file" of my previous Zootopia stories so readers could have them all in one place. JudyxNick
1. Chapter 1

Judy Hopps sat in the driver's seat of the black Zootopia Police Department-issued SUV that had been permanently assigned to her and her partner, Nick Wilde. The bunny restlessly sat behind the wheel of the running vehicle, impatiently thumping her foot against the floorboard as she waited for Nick, who had unexpectedly hopped out of the car for coffee when they had stopped at a red light. After yelling out in surprise at the fox's actions, Judy had immediately put on the sirens of the car and whipped the car into a parking space in front of the shop. After parking, Judy had proceeded to angrily snatch up her phone in an attempt to contact Nick. He had denied her first five calls, of course, and each had been denied on the first ring. Finally, the fox picked up, answering with his usual drip of sarcasm.

"Officer Wilde here."

"Nick!"

"Oh, Carrots! What a surprise."

Judy could practically hear the smirk she knew was plastered across his face.

"Nick, you can't just jump out of the car! That's dangerous! And do I need to remind you that we have a job to do?"

The fox and the rabbit had set out on a tip the ZPD had anonymously received early that day about more possible Night Howlers being traded on the streets. The tip had been labeled as "Priority One," and frankly, the tip worried both Judy and Nick immensely. Truthfully, they had had enough of the flower and its all too unpleasant side effects.

Nick made a noise of disgust on the other side of the phone.

"Look, Rabbit, a quick coffee stop isn't going to hurt anyone."

"Well, you should hurry back, I've got a feeling we are on to something good here," Judy replied, her eyes scanning the busy streets around the coffee shop.

It was a pleasant Thursday afternoon in October, the breeze crisp but not too cold. Downtown Zootopia was buzzing with the midday rush of animals either going to or returning from lunch. Judy heard the sounds of various cars honking a few streets over in the busy traffic.

"Oh, having feelings now, Carrots?"

Judy rolled her eyes at the indirect flirtatious comment.

"Well it doesn't take a 'feeling' to know that it doesn't take twenty minutes to get a cup of coffee," she shot back bitterly.

Granted, Judy was over-exaggerating. In reality, Nick had quite literally just walked into the coffee shop, so it had actually only been a few minutes or so since his departure. However, as Judy sat in the car waiting for his return, she had a moment where she struggled with her emotions toward Nick suddenly being gone – almost as if she missed him, though she wasn't about to admit that fact to herself, much less him.

"I'm tired," the fox whined on the phone.

"You're nocturnal."

"No coffee, no detective work."

"You act as if you were participating to begin with," Judy remarked.

"It's a shame – I guess I got you a coffee for nothing. A bunny with an attitude never gets coffee."

"You got me a coffee?"

"How dare you?" Nick gasped.

Judy couldn't help but laugh at his offended reply that was overflowing with drama. She couldn't help but love Nick; whether that love was platonic or something more, she couldn't tell, but she knew that he meant a lot to her, and her to him. Again, this was a fact Judy wasn't ready admit to herself or to Nick.

"Just hurry up, okay? I'm starting to get bored–"

Muffled sounds, along with the sound of a car door opening suddenly filled Nick's ear. It sounded as if Judy had dropped her phone and then gotten out of the car.

"Carrots?" Nick asked, somewhat concerned. "Alright, real funny, Fluff; where you at?"

There was only silence on the other end of the line.

"Hopps? Hopps," Nick stated again, his chest beginning to tighten with worry. "Hopps!"

In the coffee shop, two cups of coffee dropped into a trashcan with a loud smack that splattered hot coffee. Then, Nick was running, running fast and running hard.

In seconds, he was slamming himself through the glass doors of the coffee shop and out into the busy sidewalks of Downtown Zootopia. He stopped dead when he saw the ZPD SUV sitting unattended, the driver's seat open and Judy's phone lying on the floor of the car.

"Carrots!" Nick frantically scanned the area around him, looking for any signs of anything suspicious.

"Nick!"

Nick's head swiveled toward the scream.

There. Just at the end of the street was Judy, sprinting at full speed after a black fox.

All that drama and she was just chasing a con? Nick rolled his eyes as he began running after the bunny. Nick watched as the criminal and the cop dashed around the corner at the end of the street, resulting in him having to pick up his pace a little.

"Hopps, wait!" Nick yelled as he followed.

Nick didn't need Judy getting herself into a bad situation. She had ambition and passion, sure, but she didn't know when to quit, which had a knack of getting her into deep trouble more than once. Pushing himself to the limit, Nick slid around the corner, trying to keep up with the pair despite the head start they had had. His lungs burned, and his muscles screamed in protest, but he couldn't feel any of it. His head pounded with the thought of the bunny, the thought that she might currently be putting herself in danger because she was too impatient to wait for him to catch up. His thoughts were interrupted abruptly by the sound of Judy's voice crackling over his ZPD communicator:

"This is Officer Hopps, in pursuit of suspect! Priority one! Suspect is a black fox, heading down a back alley off of Main Street! I need back-up! I repeat, I need back-up!"

If Nick was worried before, nothing compared to what he felt now. She hadn't said his name over the ZPD radio frequency, and she had asked for back up. It gave off the impression that she thought she was alone, and she apparently needed help. Judy liked to keep a brave face at all times, but when it came down to it, Nick knew that Judy was still afraid of foxes – with the exception of himself, of course. He felt a chill run up his spine at the thought that she was probably afraid of the fox she was currently chasing. Nick grabbed his communicator from his belt.

"Carrots, back off now! He isn't worth it!"

No reply. Nick cursed himself for leaving her alone, but that was about to change. "Officer Wilde and Officer Hopps in pursuit! We need back-up now!"

With back-up now dispatched, Nick continued running, all while still attempting to contact Judy over the communicator, but Judy continued to give no reply. She had officially been unresponsive for over two minutes.

After what seemed like an eternity, Nick reached the opening of the alley Judy had described in her call. He had lost sight of Judy's ears (which had been his main tracking method) minutes before, when she had turned into the alley. He wasn't even sure if they were still in the alley or if they were streets away.

"Carrots! Carrots!" Nick yelled out for her as he tried to keep his pace, but he was brought to an abrupt halt at the sight before him once the alley came into full view.

Just a meter or so away, there was Judy. She was being held down on the filthy ground of the alleyway by a clawed paw of the black fox. At this distance, Nick could see the fox was a type of silver fox, as he could make out a few silver patches of fur randomly present on the fox's back. Nick's heart skipped as he saw how close the fox's face was to Judy's, how the fox was baring his teeth at her. Judy's paws were wrapped around the fox's paw that was holding her prisoner against the ground, and her feet kicked repeatedly at the fox's clothed chest as she struggled to get free.

"Freeze!" Nick screamed at the fox as he began running down the alley toward him.

The fox didn't even flinch, he only continued to lower his muzzle closer to Judy's face, his teeth flashing menacingly. Judy exerted every last bit of her energy as she kicked, nipped, and scratched at the fox, screaming out of pure fear.

"_Nick_!"

"_Judy_!"

Too late.

The fox lunged at her throat, her bloodcurdling scream echoing off of the brick walls of the alley. It was like a horror film playing in slow motion. As if by instinct, Nick removed his tranquilizer from the holster on his hip and shot immediately, the dart hitting the fox directly beneath his jaw line. A loud whine escaped the fox as the shot knocked him off of Judy and a few inches back, instantly drugging him.

Nick was on Judy in seconds, his tranquilizer thrown to the side now that the threat had been eliminated. She was bleeding, and badly. Blood was pouring from the wound in her neck to the point that Nick couldn't tell where the wound's exact location was. Her soft gray fur was matted with dark red. Nick felt a lump form in his throat as he saw the amount of blood, and his immediate thoughts were filled with how futile trying to help her would be. No, he mentally shook himself and reminded himself that he _had_ to help her; she didn't have anyone else there. Nick shook his head, his ears rigidly pointed toward the sky, as he tried to clear his mind of anything but helping Judy.

Now being more receptive of the current situation, he quickly wrapped his paws around Judy's throat to stop the bleeding. The feeling of blood – _Judy_'_s_ blood – almost made him gag. She was conscience, and looking right at him, her amethyst eyes piercing his emerald ones. His widened eyes could only stare back at her, his cheeks lightly flushed.

Weirdly enough, a part of Nick couldn't help but feel slightly awkward in the current situation. He and Judy never really shared much physical contact and now here he was, practically sitting on top of her as he tried to keep her blood in her body.

Here he was, his partner bleeding to death underneath him, and he was more concerned about too much physical contact.

"It's going to be okay, Carrots. It's going to be okay. You hang in there, Carrots."

Nick managed a grimacing smile, which she briefly returned. She was fighting, and fighting hard, but he had no idea how long she could hold on for. Nick felt his eyes sting slightly at the thought of her dying in this alley with his paws covered in her blood. He shook his head again; now was not the time to get emotional. Readjusting so that one of his paws was applying the needed pressure to Judy's injury and the other could grab his communicator, Nick began shouting orders.

"Officer down! Hopps is down! Need back-up and medical attention at my location now!"

A few agonizing minutes later, the dispatched officers and an ambulance arrived. Nick was screaming commands at them in seconds, surprising himself at his own forcefulness to lead all of a sudden.

"Get the medic! No, don't touch her! Get the medic! Arrest the fox!"

Nick growled at anyone who came too near. He didn't need help with applying pressure or keeping her alive, he needed someone who could actually save her.

"Alright, help is here," Nick stated in a hushed voice, more to himself than to Judy. "Stay with me here, Rabbit."

Finally, with the help of a few antelope paramedics, Judy was loaded into the back of the ambulance. Nick's paws continued to apply pressure while they loaded her onto a gurney, as he was too afraid to move. For Nick, letting go meant just that, letting go, and that was the last thing he wanted to do in that moment.

The ride to the hospital seemed excruciatingly slow, despite the sirens that demanded traffic's obligation. Paramedics worked around Nick, complying with his fear to move from Judy's side. The antelope gave commands to one another, attempting to bandage Judy around Nick's paws, the only things applying compression to Judy's gaping wound.

"Keep applying pressure" was what Nick heard over and over again from the medics, but he wasn't focused on any of that; not once did Judy's eyes stray from Nick's. What was going through her head was beyond him, but Nick knew that she needed him, so he was there.

"It's okay, Carrots. It's going to be okay," Nick stated with a firm nod. "I've got you."

Little did he know that Judy was not only thinking about how much she needed Nick, but also how much she wanted to tell him that she loved him. Her confusing feelings aside, she was sure that she absolutely loved him. She didn't care what his reaction would be, she didn't care if he took it in a good way or in a bad way, she didn't care if he assumed it was the adrenaline talking, and she didn't care if he decided if it was a platonic or a physical "I love you;" she just knew that she loved him, and that was all that mattered to her.

She just didn't know if she would live long enough to tell him.


	2. Chapter 2

The next few weeks weren't easy, but Judy somehow made a miraculous recovery. After several surgeries, weeks of rest, and vocal exercises, Judy was almost completely healed. Besides her voice still being somewhat weak, the only other hint of the accident was a few scars over her neck from where the fox's teeth had sunk in and where they had dragged across as Nick's tranquilizer dart took him out. Of course, Judy remained cheerful throughout it all, which honestly didn't surprise Nick. When she was feeling particularly strong, she would attempt to lecture him on how he should be out "changing the world" rather than sitting next to her in the hospital.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Rest that voice, Carrots," Nick smirked. 'Wouldn't want you talking yourself to death, now would we?"

Judy would always silently chuckle at his sarcastic replies, but Nick felt pained when he saw how the attack had affected her. It bothered him to not be able to hear her laugh as loudly as she usually did, to hear her strong voice, to see her jump around as she did the job she loved so much. He knew that part of her was feeling a certain way about everything too, a certain way that didn't involve being cheerful. She was on leave from the ZPD for at least two months, which bothered her more than she cared to admit. On top of that, Nick noticed that their relationship seemed strained ever since the ambulance ride, which confused him. He hadn't said anything wrong, had he? Or, was she mad at him because he hadn't gotten to her before she was bitten? That bothered Nick; Judy was special to him in more ways than he could describe. The thought of her not making it and dying alone in an alley all because he stopped for coffee riddled him with guilt, but he didn't know how to address it. Should he apologize? As of now, the two would only make small chat as if everything was normal, but Nick knew that the underlying seriousness of the situation was hanging between them like a thick fog, and the fog was beginning to make them lose sight of one another.

One day, a little over a month after the attack, Judy was released from the hospital. With everything complete, she was instructed to take it easy and continue to work on building her voice back up. Without much conversation, Nick drove Judy back to his apartment, which surprised her at first.

"Nick, where are we?" she had asked, a little over a whisper.

"My apartment, Carrots."

Judy had only looked at him in surprise, which Nick chuckled at.

"What? You thought I was homeless? Geez, Rabbit, I'm hurt."

After parking, Nick proceeded to open the passenger door of the SUV and helped Judy out of the car, much to her disliking. She didn't need help, and he knew that; it was more of a matter of keeping her safe. Nick knew that his apartment wasn't the cleanest, and certainly not as clean as Judy would have liked, but he didn't like taking her to her apartment. Nick knew that if he took Judy back to her apartment, then he would have to leave after she was settled at home, and leaving her alone was the last thing he wanted.

They walked up a few flights of stairs, until they reached his apartment, where he took out a key and unlocked the door.

"Oh, Nick!" Judy gasped as soon as the door swung open.

Nick cringed as Judy quickly launched into a lecture on how filthy his apartment was, when in reality, it wasn't too bad. Yes, there were dirty dishes filling the sink and some clothes lying around the place, but Nick's apartment had been worse. To Judy, the apartment looked as if a hurricane had been through it. After what seemed like an eternity of Judy's voice in Nick's ears, she finally settled down and inspected the apartment for what it really was, and it was really quite nice. The apartment was fairly large; the living room decorated with a slightly retro style couch that was set against a beige wall opposite of a modern TV. A small kitchen joined the living room; the only thing separating the two was a countertop and an open entrance to a hallway that led to the bathroom and Nick's bedroom.

Conning really paid the bills.

Nick noticed Judy's rare moment of silence and took advantage of it. Shutting the door, he coaxed her to the couch with his usual sarcasm.

"Alright, Fluff, put your cottontail on the couch."

"You really should clean," Judy grumbled.

Nick rolled his eyes and gave her a side smile as he gestured toward the couch in a more demanding manner. Judy begrudgingly nodded and sat.

"You hungry, Carrots? I've got veggies."

Judy giggled at the thought of a fox like Nick buying vegetables, something he absolutely despised, but she declined politely.

Nick continued to press, however.

"You sure? I better not have bought these for nothing."

Nick rummaged around in the refrigerator, his bushy tail swinging behind him. Judy gently cleared her throat.

"Nick?"

Without looking up, Nick continued to talk about buying vegetables.

"Nick."

He almost hit his head on the inside of the refrigerator as he quickly turned to her, the sound of worry in his tone.

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk?"

Nick gave her a lazy stare and a crooked grin after rolling his eyes. Judy – always talking.

"About?" he inquired.

"This," she replied softly as she touched the scars on her neck.

Nick's sarcastic face turned serious as his ears bent back against his head. She patted the seat next to her, but Nick continued to stand in the kitchen and look at her over the counter, refusing to fully acknowledge the conversation.

"Is something wrong?" he asked with the same nonchalant tone and expression.

"Yes," Judy stated clearly.

An unpleasant moment of silence fell between them. The two only continued to stare at one another, Nick's stance rigid as he waited for the inevitable.

"There is something wrong with us," Judy finally stated clearly.

Nick's entire body tensed. There it was. He knew it had been coming, but he didn't know that it would be now, right after they had gotten home and settled. Nick's first reaction was to shrug it off as he managed to chuckle a reply, trying to ignore his contracted muscles.

"With us? What, we got a deal now?"

Judy's manner and expression remained calm and slightly sad; she knew that he was trying to get out of it by flirting.

"We do, Nick."

That stopped him, and he was tense once more. Nick lightly leaned against the kitchen counter as he waited for her to officially begin the conversation.

"I'm okay," she finally declared after a few more moments of silence.

In an unexpected moment of raw emotion, Nick practically exploded, anger and pain flooding his tone and expression immediately.

"Okay? Okay? You are definitely not okay!"

"I am," she replied calmly.

"You just had your throat ripped out by a fox! A fox!" Nick yelled, emphasizing with his paws.

"I know that."

"You know that?" Nick scoffed. "Well, do you know how that makes me feel?"

"Yes."

Nick let out an indignant noise and turned away as he put his paws to his head, his ears still pressed firmly back against his skull. He felt like a child trying to explain himself, while Judy's voice remained calm and quiet, trying to mediate the situation.

"This wasn't your fault, Nick," she continued.

"Sure, it wasn't. I'm sure you would still have been attacked even if I were in the car," Nick muttered sarcastically.

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?" Nick asked as he wheeled to face her, his voice rising once again.

Judy stood up and made her way to the counter.

"Yes, you do," she said haughtily. "It bothers you that you weren't there. It bothers you that I was hurt. It bothers you that I was injured, and it bothers you that you didn't get there before that happened. I understand… but that was what happened."

Nick shook his head sadly.

"Carrots, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten out of the car–"

"Those things bother you, but not as much as the fact that I was attacked by a fox."

Nick's breath caught at the bunny's words.

She was right. Why was she always right?

"Yes, that bothers me," he admitted quietly.

"Is that why I'm at your apartment instead of mine?"

"Yes. Well, no. Kinda?"

"Are you afraid I'm going to be attacked again?"

"Yes," Nick sighed. "I am."

"Do you think I can't handle myself?"

"No, that's not it," Nick argued. "This is different, Hopps–"

"My name is Judy."

Nick's eyes widened; he had always called her nicknames, only sometimes using her first name, but she had never really corrected him. She continued on as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Do you think I can't handle myself?" she pressed.

"That's not the point–"

"Then what is?" she demanded, her voice beginning to rise.

"You need to rest your voice. We don't need to do this now," Nick said as he walked around the corner of the kitchen.

He attempted to guide her to the couch, but just then, Judy pulled her bottle of fox repellant from the front pocket of her jeans and slammed it onto the countertop. Both froze at the action.

"Answer me, Wilde."

She fixed him with a stare that could have killed.

"That was a bold move," Nick remarked dryly.

Judy was easy to fluster, but never to really anger, so Nick put his hands up in defense as he now tried to deflate the growing situation.

"What is the point?" she pressed yet again, staring intently at Nick.

"You don't know when to quit," Nick said firmly.

"And?"

"You're going to get yourself killed."

"I've been attacked before! We're cops, these things happen."

"This is different," Nick shot back.

"I've been attacked by a fox before, Nick!"

Nick couldn't stop his jaw from dropping slightly.

"What did you just say?" he asked, incredulous.

"I've. Been. Attacked. By. A. Fox. Before."

Nick took a step closer to her, trying to understand what she had just said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "When did this happen?"

"It doesn't matter, it happened when I was a kid."

"I told you about what happened to me as a kid."

"That mattered."

"And this doesn't?" Nick scoffed. "You need to know when to quit. I can't just stand by and watch you get killed!"

"You won't, Nick."

Nick threw his paws up in aggravation as he let a noise of frustration escape his throat; there was no arguing with her at this point. He suddenly took a more aggressive approach.

"Did you even try to protect yourself – did you even use this?" Nick reached for the fox repellant, but Judy grabbed it before his paw could even get within an inch of it.

He recoiled slowly.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of me…"

The rabbit looked away, not answering.

"Did you use that stuff on that fox? Did you even try to?" Nick demanded once more. Judy looked on the verge of tears, but she still didn't answer.

"Please, answer me," Nick pleaded, his voice now soft.

She turned swiftly and spun away from him. Nick gave Judy a disheartened look as realization struck him.

"You didn't defend yourself against that fox, but… you would against me."

Judy shook her head as she searched for the words to negate his claim.

"No, that's not it at all–"

Nick dropped his key ring on the countertop; his house keys, ZPD badge, and the keys to the SUV sat between them.

"I need some air," Nick muttered before he turned away and opened the door.

Judy was at his heels in an instant as he stepped out into the outdoor hallway of the apartment floor.

"Nick, please. Please stop! Just wait!"

She grabbed for his arm, but he shrugged her off, only turning to look her in the eye as he said what she was dreading.

"Goodbye, Judy."


	3. Chapter 3

Nick didn't come back to his apartment after that day. Judy, however, uncomfortably remained. Nick would have assumed she didn't leave because she was too afraid of being attacked, but Judy was actually just waiting him out; she was going to wait until he came home and then they would have a conversation about what had happened. However, as hours turned into days and days turned into weeks, Judy began to feel more unsure about Nick's return. She slept on the couch, never venturing too far into the apartment. When Nick came back –_ if_ Nick came back – she didn't want to anger him by being a snoop. Yet Nick didn't return, and Judy found herself completely healed with her voice strong once again as she woke one morning to prepare for her return to work. Thankfully, Nick had gone to her apartment and packed a bag of her essentials while she had been in the hospital, so she had everything she needed.

Staring in the mirror, Judy adjusted the collar of her shirt to hide her permanent scars as best as she could. She couldn't help but feel slightly nervous at the thought of returning to work, the thought of seeing Nick. Had he gotten a new partner? Had he transferred to a different precinct? Was he even still a cop?

Exactly how upset Nick was, she didn't know, but she knew that she had to fix their relationship… whatever that relationship was. Judy grabbed Nick's keys off of the kitchen counter, which hadn't been touched since he had left them there, and exited the apartment, locking the door behind her.

After a drive that seemed too short to be real, Judy parked the car and sighed as she looked up at the ZPD building.

"Here we go," she sighed before exiting the vehicle.

Judy was instantly swarmed after stepping inside the lobby of the ZPD, something she completely expected. Officers and colleagues she hadn't seen in two months wanted to know what had happened, how she was doing, and what she was going to do next. She smiled and answered their questions accordingly, only stopping to wave briefly at Clawhauser, who was seated at the reception desk.

"Okay, guys,' Judy shrugged. "I've got to go make the world a better place."

With her usual cheesy line, the crowd dispersed, leaving Judy to a cheerful Clawhauser who had patiently waited his turn to interrogate her.

"Judy! How are you? Oh, I'm sure everyone has already asked you that, though, huh!"

Judy laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, just believe me when I say I'm fine," she replied distractedly as she looked around. "Clawhauser, have you seen Nick?"

"Yep, in the offices!"

Judy nodded at the cheerful cheetah before bidding him farewell as she went off in search of Nick. She walked through the set of glass doors that led to the office cubicles of the ZPD call center and made her way down the rows to her very own cubicle. A brief look into her cubicle told her that she had more than a bit of paperwork to do, but that wasn't her main concern at the moment. Turning to the cubicle across from hers, Judy found Nick reclining in his chair, his attention turned to his computer as he typed out something that looked like a report. Judy's heart fluttered as she prepared to do much more than just apologize to Nick for what had happened.

Taking a step forward so that she was standing in the entrance of the cuticle, Judy opened her mouth to speak.

"Nick–"

"No time to chat, Carrots, we've got a lead," Nick cut her off as he swiveled his chair around and hopped up, sweeping past an awe-struck Judy as he did so.

Without another word, Judy followed.

To say the drive was awkward would be an understatement. Well, to say the drive was awkward would be an understatement for Judy; for Nick, it was just another day on the job. Nick propped his feet up on the dash and reclined in the passenger seat of their assigned vehicle as he looked out of the rolled down window through his tinted sunglasses, but Judy sat rigid at the steering wheel, watching his every move in anticipation. She almost jumped out of the car when he asked her to stop for coffee, which he chuckled at. Judy pulled into the same parking space in front of the same coffee shop as usual. After stepping out of the car and shutting the door behind him, Nick propped his arms on the open window and peered over his sunglasses at Judy.

"Want anything, Darling?"

Judy looked at him, her ears drooping slightly. Was he seriously leaving her alone in the car so that he could get coffee again?

"No," she replied shortly. "No, thank you, Nick."

Nick shrugged and pushed his sunglasses back up his snout before turning away and sauntering into the coffee shop. Judy let out a shaky sigh and rested her head on the steering wheel. What was going on? The passenger door suddenly opened, making her jump and give a small yelp in surprise. Nick froze a moment before sliding smoothly into the seat beside her, a coffee in his hand.

"That was fast," the rabbit commented.

Nick only shrugged and took a sip from the cup he was holding. Judy was slightly taken aback. He hadn't gotten her coffee, and usually when he asked her what she wanted and she turned him down, he still surprised her with something. Something definitely felt wrong. Without a second glance, Judy pulled out of the parking space and began driving. Moments later, she stopped the vehicle and put it in park before turning the key to stop the engine.

"This isn't the location, Fluff, we are supposed to be heading to the Rainforest District," Nick said as he removed his sunglasses and examined the area outside of the car.

They were parked in a large dusty alley, just off of Main Street. Nick froze slightly at the sight of the familiar location, but then smoothly resumed reclining in his seat.

"What's the deal, Hopps?"

Judy turned to him, a somewhat hard expression on her face.

"What's the deal? How about what's _your_ deal?"

"I don't have a deal," Nick replied easily.

"Oh, you most certainly do," Judy shot back, her voice beginning to rise in volume and in pitch with each syllable. "Why are you acting so strange? And what is this lead we are investigating? Last I checked you were your own partner."

Nick took another sip of his coffee and swallowed slowly, savoring every bit of it; it pushed Judy to the edge.

"Nick!"

Another sip of coffee. Then, Nick removed his sunglasses and set his coffee on the dash before turning to face Judy.

"I'm not acting strange, Carrots, but frankly, you are."

Judy let out a noise of disgust.

"We fight and you disappear for weeks, and not only from me but from your own apartment! You call that 'not acting strange,' Nick?"

"Yep."

"Well, how about the fact that you just go back to work as if nothing happened? As if _this_ didn't happen!" Judy yelled as she pulled down the collar of her shirt to show him her very distinct scars. "Don't tell me that that is 'not acting strange' Nick!"

"Look, Carrots, if you aren't ready to get back to work, that's fine. Take a few more weeks off, but I've got a case to crack," Nick answered nonchalantly.

Judy was on the edge of her seat in seconds.

"How dare you?" she shot back. "You are supposed to be my partner, my friend, and you are treating me like a stuffed toy!"

"Nope, simply trying to solve a case."

"And since when is a case more important than me, Nicholas Wilde?" Judy huffed at him angrily.

"When the case involves the con who did that!" Nick yelled back at her, finally falling into the fight.

Judy flinched slightly; he had been so quiet until just then, but now he was just as tense as her, his eyes staring her down as he breathed heavily.

"You think I don't care, Rabbit? Is that it? Because let me tell you, you have missed the mark. Even after what happened in my apartment, even after you proved that you were afraid of me, I have still spent weeks trying to track down the–the _monster_ that did this to you! So, don't sit here and tell me that I am acting strange and that I am treating you like a toy, because I am the only one who cared enough to do something about it," Nick yelled, his chest heaving with each sentence he spat at her.

Nick was never violent or very loud, but he had shown Judy for the second time now what he was like when he was really hurt, and just when she thought he would suffocate himself from all of the yelling, his voice turning to a whisper and he looked away from her.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to yell," he sighed. "You don't know what that was like. Not hearing you respond, not seeing where you were running to, not knowing how much danger you might be in. You don't know how far my heart dropped when I saw you there, on the ground, underneath that fox as if you were nothing more than a piece of food. And then–" Nick stopped as he inhaled deeply. "And then seeing the fear in your eyes when I tried to take that spray. All of the trust and love in our relationship gone in an instant, all because of something another animal did."

Judy was speechless, but for one horrid moment, she thought that their relationship was broken, broken to a point that picking up the pieces was only going to continue to tear them apart, and the thought of that hurt her more than any physical pain.

"Nick, I'm sorry, I didn't know–"

"You shouldn't apologize. I'm making this about myself when you were there. I should be the one apologizing."

Judy fell silent, mulling the situation over. There was no easy way to solve all of the problems they were currently facing, so she tried to make sense of the case aspect of the situation.

"I don't understand, though. I thought you darted him," she stated softly.

"I did dart him."

Judy waited for the answer that he wasn't supplying, but it never came, leaving her to put her paws up and give him a look that urged him to explain.

"I darted him, and we arrested him, but he…well, he–"

"He what?"

"He went savage," Nick said with a shake of his head. "He went savage right before he bit you. He wasn't being himself."

"The Night Howlers we were investigating that day?"

"Looks like it."

Nick took another slow sip of coffee before putting his sunglasses over his eyes, sliding back into his usual demeanor.

"So, when you said that you were tracking down the monster who did this?"

"I was talking about the one who got the Night Howlers into the fox's system."

With a final swig from his coffee cup, Nick turned to Judy and peered at her over his sunglasses once more.

"Now, are we going to the Rainforest District or what, Carrots?"

Judy gave a small nod and started the engine once more. The drive was short, but it was enough time for Nick to debrief Judy on what had taken place in the last few weeks.

"So, you think you have an idea of how the Night Howlers got into his body?" Judy asked.

"Not exactly. It's hard to tell how the stuff got into his system, especially with how difficult it is to even know that the Night Howlers are the culprits; you would only know if you'd seen it before," Nick said as he shot a look at Judy over his sunglasses. "And we've seen it before."

Judy chuckled as she kept her eyes on the road ahead.

"'Seen it' is a bit of an understatement, don't you think?"

Nick fidgeted with the controls of the radio as he chuckled lightly at her joke.

"Alright, Carrots, turn right up here."

Judy complied, parking the car in an open space on the street after turning onto one of the roads that eventually twisted into a massive tree branch. The two exited the vehicle and began making their way up the branch to a series of homes in the trees.

"What's the lead?" Judy asked as she took in her surroundings.

"We are going to talk to someone who may have useful information in the case," Nick replied as he stepped up to one of the homes and rapped his paw against the wooden door.

"Okay, who are we talking to?"

The door opened, revealing a black fox who was about the same build and weight as Nick. Nick put his paw out and shook the fox's paw in greeting as Judy stood off to the side, stock-still. Flashes of teeth and blood crossed her mind, the sound of her own scream filling her ears all over again as she stared at the fox in the doorway.

"Mr. Silver, I'm Officer Wilde and this is my partner, Officer Hopps. You two have met."


	4. Chapter 4

"Nick!"

Nick's ears flicked as Judy's hiss reached them, but he gave no other sign that he had heard her.

"May we come in, Mr. Silver?"

Mr. Silver nodded gravely and stepped aside to let them enter. His home was small and simple, not much bigger than Nick's apartment, with wooden floors and furniture decorating the place. Nick took a seat at the oak kitchen bar, his sunglasses propped up on his head. Mr. Silver quickly followed his lead and took a seat opposite of Nick, leaving Judy standing awkwardly at the entrance.

"Come on, Carrots," Nick urged in a whisper.

Judy, however, stood frozen with a look of pure fear on her face. Nick turned his attention to the black fox.

"Can we have a minute?" he asked pleasantly.

"Of course!" The fox replied, almost jumping from his seat. "I'll be out on the back porch reading the paper, let me know when you need me."

With a scurry, the back door opened and closed, leaving Nick and Judy alone in the fox's home. Nick waited for Judy to take the first action, but she never did, and as the minutes passed, Nick knew that he would have to do the talking.

"Carrots, why are you standing out in the rain?"

It had started to lightly drizzle when they had first arrived, but the rain had increased to a downpour in the time Nick had gotten comfortable in Mr. Silver's home. Judy now stood soaked to the bone just outside of the doorway with no intention of moving anytime soon. Nick sighed and stood up from the stool at the bar. With a final look over his shoulder at the bunny, Nick went out to the back porch, where Mr. Silver sat fidgeting nervously with a newspaper. Like the rest of the home, the back patio was made up of wood, with a miniature canopy secluding it from the rest of the world and the rain. Mr. Silver dropped his newspaper on the glass table in front of him as soon as his eyes fell on Nick's figure coming through the back door.

"I just have a few questions, Mr. Silver."

"Please, call me Thomas."

"Alright, Thomas."

Nick settled into the outdoor patio chair across the table from the fox and took out a legal pad with Judy's famous carrot pen. Nick's face downturned slightly at the sight of the pen, but he quickly turned his attention back to Mr. Silver, his expression now serious.

"Why were you running from my partner on the day in question?"

"I was afraid."

"Why were you afraid?"

"I-I was recently working for a g-group that was known for its… unsavory ways."

"What did you do for this group?"

"I am a doctor, so I supplied medical advice and supplies."

"Do you know the name of this group's leader?"

"N-no, I didn't even know the name of the group! I was just called upon when I was needed."

"They were working with Night Howlers."

It wasn't a question; it was a statement, a statement that hung in the air like moisture, a statement that was as deadly as a knife.

"Y-yes. Yes, t-they were," the silver fox admitted hesitantly.

"Did you ever come in contact with the Night Howlers?"

"No, not until t-that day."

"Do you know how you came into contact with the Night Howlers?"

"No, but I imagine that I was set up."

"Yes, I imagine that too."

Nick watched as the doctor squirmed nervously under his gaze that remained serious yet indifferent.

"D-did I really do what those officers said I did… to that officer?" the fox asked, his voice fearful.

"Yes, you did, Thomas."

"And that's h-her… inside?"

"Yes, her name is Judy."

The fox looked down, his own actions appalling his morals.

"I-I don't even r-remember!"

"Look, Thomas, these things happen."

"These things don't just happen!" the fox breathed.

Mr. Silver was in hysterics, and Nick honestly didn't have the time to calm him down.

"I have everything I need," Nick said as he held up the legal pad that was now stained with several different notes.

"If you need anything, you have my number," Nick then stated curtly as he stood and made his way to the back door to go back through the house. "Thank you, Mr. Silver."

A few moments later, Nick found Judy sitting in the passenger seat of the SUV, her fur thoroughly soaked, and her eyes focused on staring at the floor of the car; her expression gave a depressed appearance. Without a word, he slid into the driver's seat, his own fur matted from the heavy rain.

"Judy?"

"You've called me that a lot more lately," Judy replied without looking up.

"You told me that that was your name," Nick chuckled lightly, which received a small smile from Judy before her face turned grave again.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked.

"You're my partner."

"That's not what I meant."

Nick sighed and brushed his paw across his face.

"I know that's now what you meant."

A few moments of silence passed, the only sound being the soft pitter-patter of the rain hitting the windows of the car outside.

"I don't know why I brought you here, honestly," Nick sighed. "Part of me wanted you to see that he wasn't a bad guy, that is wasn't his fault, but I knew that that wasn't going to change your opinion of what he did. It didn't change mine. He doesn't even remember any of it; he only knows what he has been told, and that will bother him for who knows how long. That just makes me angrier, actually."

Judy looked up at Nick, now focusing on his expressions with every word he spoke.

"It makes me angry to see him only care about his own guilt," Nick continued. "And not about what actually happened, but that's just how this goes."

Nick's paw brushed over his face again as he shook his head.

"Look, I don't like fighting, Carrots. I overreacted. I know that you trust me. I know that you would have used that fox spray on that guy if you had had the opportunity to do so. I know that you were just too afraid to do so. I just want everything to be normal again."

Silence filled the vehicle once more.

"You foxes, so emotional," Judy giggled quietly as she watched a grin slowly spread across Nick's face.

In mere moments, Nick was laughing.

"I'm emotional? You're the emotional one, Carrots."

Nick and Judy sat and laughed at one another's emotions for quite some time. The two laughed until the rain stopped, they laughed until their sides hurt, they laughed until they couldn't believe what had happened in the last few weeks. When the laughter died down, Nick stretched out an arm and brought Judy across the middle seat to his side. To his relief, she let him hold her against him as they both sat in the driver's seat and hugged for the first time in months.

"I'm sorry, Nick," Judy murmured.

"No, I'm sorry, Fluff… Now get off me, we have a case to solve."


	5. Chapter 5

"Nicholas Wilde, if you get out of this car one more time, I'm going to run you over with it! I won't regret it either!" Judy screamed out of the open window of the car as she pulled off of Main Street to park for the hundredth time in front of the coffee shop.

It had been a month since Nick and Judy had paid a visit to Mr. Silver, and for the most part, the case had gone cold, which frustrated Nick more than he liked to admit, but there was nothing to do at this moment in time. They had been on their way to Nick's apartment after a long day at work when the fox had jumped out of the car at a red light in the intersection in front of his favorite coffee shop… again.

Judy had been absentmindedly telling Nick a story of how Clawhauser had stolen a box of donuts from her that morning when she had looked over to discover an empty passenger seat. Stopping mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open, Judy had then looked up to see Nick's bushy tail sauntering toward the coffee shop. After parking more aggressively than intended, Judy began muttering angrily about how she hoped Nick would choke on a pawpsicle when her car door suddenly flew open, making her scream loudly.

"Chill, Fluff! I'm just opening the door for you!" Nick smirked as he held out a paw to a stunned Judy, who rolled her eyes before taking his paw and letting him help her out of the SUV.

"Why are we getting coffee at this time of night?" Judy whined.

"We aren't."

"Then why did you just jump out of a moving vehicle?"

"I waited until you stopped."

"I was stopped at a red light!"

"Look, are you hungry or not?"

Judy had been following Nick without paying much attention to her surroundings, but as she took the time to focus on something other than Nick, she realized that they were now standing in front of a cute little diner just a few stores down from the coffee shop.

"Uh, yeah, I am," she admitted absentmindedly.

With a smirk, Nick held the door open for her before the two walked inside, where they were greeted by an array of delightful aromas from the variety of food being cooked. The dinner-hour kept the staff moving and the diner buzzing with animals of all kinds. A beautiful young white-tailed doe approached them immediately.

"Hello! Table for two?" she asked in a pleasant voice.

Judy now understood that Nick was taking her out to dinner, but she didn't think much of it, they ate out a lot. She quickly took control of the situation.

"Yes–"

"Uh, no, actually," Nick interrupted. "Just picking up an order. Thanks anyway."

Judy shot a puzzled look at Nick, who made his way past the confused hostess and straight to the kitchen. The diner clearly wasn't a take-out kind of place.

Judy thanked the hostess once more before following after him.

"'Ey, Nicky!"

A massive grizzly bear in an apron gave Nick a toothy grin from over the closed service counter that led to the kitchen.

Nick acknowledged him with a half-salute.

"Griz. You got my order?"

The bear roared in laughter, his accent heavy in reply.

"What kinda question is that, Nicky? 'Do I got your orda?' HA, 'course I got your orda!"

The bear tossed a large paper sack over the counter, which Nick nonchalantly caught with both paws.

"One Veggie Special and one Predatory Meal," the bear affirmed.

"Thanks, Griz."

Nick turned to leave, gesturing for Judy to follow him, but the bear's voice rang out once more.

"Ho, ho, ho! Wait up now, Nicky, is this that gurl? Huh, this that gurl you keep talking 'bout?"

Turning back to the bear, Nick put on a lazy expression, the expression of a true con artist. Nick effortlessly passed the paper bag off to Judy as he made his way back to the counter, where he propped himself up on one paw as he leaned in close to where the gigantic bear was waiting impatiently.

"This girl?" Nick lazily threw an arm up to gesture toward Judy.

The bear let out a chuckle, the volume almost as loud as Judy's full laugh.

"Don't play games with me, Nicky. That the gurl or what?"

Nick ran his paw over his ears as if he were slicking them back, and Judy found herself glowering at his false bravado.

"Oh, yeah, Griz. That's the girl."

The bear was clearly entertained by the show Nick was putting on, as he let out another string of laughter.

"Ho, ho, ho, Nicky boy! Look at ya, who knew you woulda tied yourself down to one gurl!"

Big mistake.

Nick's eyes widened at the bear, knowing what was surely going to come next.

"Shall we go, Nicholas?" Judy's false sickly-sweet voice rang out, Nick's full name dripping in sarcasm as she over-enunciated each syllable.

She smirked as she noticed him cringe at the use of his full name.

The bear roared in laughter, his whole body shaking as he let his head fall back with the guffaw. Nick rolled his eyes and turned to see Judy thumping her foot impatiently against the tiled floor.

The fox couldn't help but take in every detail of her in that moment. She was wearing a light purple t-shirt a little too large for her small physique, with black leggings that fit her perfect legs – one of her favorite "after-work" outfits. Nick's eyes passed over her face. Her nose was scrunched, and her amethyst eyes burned as she continued to give him a bitter look. His gaze then swept over her neck, over the unmistakable scars. They hadn't talked about that in over a month. Yes, they talked about the case that began with that incident, but it was an unspoken thing between them now. Thankfully, it wasn't a thing that put weight on either one of them or their relationship; it was just something that hung around, like dust in the air. In the last three months – the months filled with scars, pain, worry, scares, tears, and fights – Nick had realized how much Judy meant to him, which is why he had been planning this night for a while now. He had actually started planning a dinner at this diner with her way before Judy's injury, but had been forced to put the plan on hold for her sake. All at once, he knew that it was now or never, and he was never going to choose any time other than now.

Coming back to reality, Nick noticed that Griz was still laughing to the point of being in stitches.

"She got a chain on you, don't she Nicky? HA!"

"Yeah, yeah she does."

The answer was to himself more than anyone else.

Nick then turned and followed Judy out of the restaurant. The two drove back to Nick's apartment, where they unpacked the food and sat on Nick's retro sofa as they ate.

"Nick?" Judy inquired after a while.

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Did you try some of my Predator Meal?"

"What? No!" Judy laughed.

"I won't judge, Carrots, everybody has instincts," Nick snorted.

"I didn't eat your food, Nick," Judy giggled.

"Well then you don't have to tell me anything."

"Nick, come on, I'm serious!"

"I'm serious, too! Unless you're telling me that you've done something crazy, I'm not listening."

Judy laughed at Nick as he stuck his tongue out at her, his childish side becoming more apparent by the second as the night grew later. It was a little past midnight, and they were now wrapped up in a large blanket on Nick's couch watching old movies that were being rerun on television. Long finished, the food had been delicious, and since they weren't working an early shift the next morning, the two decided to live the nightlife together for once, but as time ticked by Judy began to think of somewhat emotionally personal things in between the giggle fits Nick was spurring.

"Can I, though?" she inquired again.

"Can you what?"

"Tell you something!"

"Oh, right, sure," Nick shrugged.

Judy moved out from underneath the blanket so that she could lean over the couch and flick the light switch to the "on" position.

"Carrots, stop trying to make me look at your butt," Nick remarked behind her.

Judy snorted with laughter as she fell back onto the couch, the lights now on and illuminating the apartment.

"Nick, I know that we haven't talked in a while…"

"We talk every day. That's not enough anymore?" Nick chuckled as he rested an arm across the head of the couch, his body reclining against the cushions, a clear sign that he was more than comfortable.

"I mean about the… well, the thing."

"I thought we resolved that," Nick replied, his ears flattening as he did so.

"We did."

"Well, did I do something? Say something?"

"No, not at all," Judy reassured him quickly. "That's not it."

"Then what is it?" Nick remained relaxed, but something about his posture gave a slightly tense look as the conversation continued on.

"Nick, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't like talking about this," Judy stated sadly.

"Not particularly, no."

Judy went quiet, crossing her arms and looking at the opposite wall as she thought of what to say next. The situation had turned somewhat fragile, which is not what she had intended.

"Carrots?"

His voice made her turn her attention to him once more, but he seemed to have regained his soft composure, so she pressed further.

"You told me what was going through your head that day, so I wanted to tell you what was going through mine."

There it was, a flash in his eyes, a twitch of his ear, a slight readjustment in his position; he was increasingly uncomfortable.

"I think I can take a guess at that," Nick said as he stood and made his way to the kitchen.

Judy watched as he poured himself a glass of water and then lean his weight against the counter just beside the refrigerator.

"Really? Take a guess then," she stated coyly.

Nick's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he watched a shadow of a smile flicker across the bunny's face.

"What are you playing at, Fluff?"

"I just think you'll be surprised."

"Surprised?" Nick gave her an astonished look. "Look, Carrots, I know you were afraid and that you were bleeding pretty badly. God knows how much pain you were in, and–and… I don't see the point in talking about it," Nick finished lamely as he looked down at his glass of water that was sitting on the counter and nudged it with his right paw.

"That's not it," Judy giggled, and Nick shot her another astounded facial expression.

"I don't find this funny."

The giggling instantly ceased.

"I don't either."

"Then what is the point in this?" Nick mumbled as he exited the kitchen and walked down the hallway to the rest of the apartment.

Judy heard his bedroom door shut behind him, guilt flooding through her at the sound of the door snapping into the frame. Remaining on the couch, Judy waited, twiddling her paws as she did so. After a short span of time, Judy rose from the couch and made her way to Nick's bedroom door, where she hesitated before softly knocking on the door.

"Nick?" she called out in a delicate tone. "I'm sorry. I don't find this funny."

Judy looked at the floor, her cheek almost brushing the door.

"I just wanted to tell you something–oh!"

Nick's door swung open, making Judy jump back in surprise. Her face turned a bright shade of pink as she became increasingly aware of how close she had been to the door, but her face flushed a ferocious red at the side of Nick, who was shirtless.

"Oh!" she gasped.

Nick's eyes narrowed in bewilderment at her immediate change in color. He was standing with the shirt he had just taken off in one paw and a new red t-shirt in the other.

"What? Were you saying something? I was just changing into a different shirt."

Judy's face remained flushed as she looked at the beige wall of the hallway, then the wooden floor, then the white ceiling; she was looking anywhere but at Nick.

"I-I thought you were mad at me, and I-I just was going to – well, I guess – never mind."

"I'm not mad, why would I be?" Nick said, confused. "I was just getting a more comfortable shirt on. What were you going to tell me?"

"I – well, it's nothing – really, I-I'm going to go and… and finish the movie, yeah, finish the movie – oh God, please put a shirt on."

Nick looked down at his bare chest and then up at Judy, a smirk spreading across his face as realization dawned on him.

"Ohhhhh, okay, I get it, Carrots," he said with a very pleased look.

Judy's appearance turned an even brighter shade of red as she turned and swiftly made her way back to the living room, Nick following behind her as he pulled the red shirt over his head, his light green button-up Hawaiian shirt still in his grasp.

"Aww, did I make you uncomfortable, Carrots?" Nick grinned uncontrollably.

"Let's not talk about it," Judy muttered as she turned away from him and walked to the other side of the kitchen counter, putting a barrier between them.

"Okay, okay. We can stop talking about it… for now."

Another smirk.

"You will never let me live this down," Judy replied, clearly disgusted.

"Definitely not."

Judy shot Nick a look of pure annoyance. Nick only shrugged.

"Well, Rabbit?"

"'Well' what?"

"Are you going to tell me what you were going to tell me or not, Fluff?"

"The moment's over."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that."

"Ugh, please don't."

"Don't what?"

"Do that," Judy gestured forward with a paw.

"Do what?"

"Look at me like I just walked in on you naked."

"But you did."

"No, I didn't!"

"Sure, you didn't," Nick drawled sarcastically.

Judy could tell that Nick was thoroughly enjoying the moment, enjoying the fact that he had her backed into a corner, a corner she had no hope of getting out of any time soon.

"Alright, now spill it," he said, a smirk still plastered on his face.

Judy shook her head in aggravation. Maybe now was not the time to tell him. Well, it was really now or never.

"When that fox bit me, I was obviously afraid, but then you were there, and you were talking to me, and…" Judy's voice trailed off as she thought back to what he had said to her.

_"It's going to be okay, Carrots… It's going to be okay… You hang in there, Carrots... It's okay, Judy… I've got you."_

"And?" Nick tempted as he leaned his weight against the counter, his face now closer to Judy's than it was a moment before.

The embarrassing-giggly atmosphere had turned considerably serious, but it was a respectable serious, the kind of serious that starts a realistic conversation.

"And I realized how much you mean to me," Judy finished.

"I felt that way too, Carrots."

"I know, you told me that, but I felt – well, I felt… more."

"More?"

"I, uhm, well…"

"Come on, Carrots, I'm on the edge of my seat!" Nick laughed lightheartedly as he gave her a reassuring smile before picking his previously poured glass of water up from the table and taking a sip of it.

"I think I–" Judy stumbled. "No, I _know_ that I-I love you. I love you, Nick."

Glass shattered as Nick's water tumbled from his paws onto the counter between them.


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh!"

Water splattered all over Judy and Nick as the glass came into contact with the hard surface between them and shattered on impact.

"Nick!" Judy gasped.

Nick was frozen solid, his paw still in the same position near his mouth as when he had the glass to his lips. His eyes were wide as he seemed to stare at nothing. Judy was nervous by his reaction, but that didn't keep her from huffing in frustration at the water that was soaking through her shirt and fur.

After fetching a towel, mopping up the water on the counter and the water that had dripped onto the wooden floors, and sweeping the broken glass into the trash can, Judy gave one final look at Nick, who was still a statue, before making her way to the bathroom to clean herself up. However, a paw grabbing her arm stopped her.

"Here."

Nick handed her his famous green button-up Hawaiian shirt, which she took without a word. Gaging his reaction – well, there wasn't one; his face remained an emotionless canvas. Without a second look, Judy hurried to the bathroom, where she changed out of her soaked purple t-shirt into Nick's button-up. It was much too large for her; even rolling up the sleeves that came down to her wrists, the shirt still fell down to a point just above her feet. It was weird, but very comforting. Judy had to shake away her thoughts when they started to drift off to how much the shirt smelled like him.

Exiting the small bathroom and coming back out of the hallway, Judy's eyes darted to the clock on the far wall of the living room: 2:04.

Nick was still standing by the kitchen counter, his back facing her, but it was clear that he had moved, as his shirt was changed for the third time that night.

Judy opened her mouth to speak, to apologize, to take back what she said, but he turned around and completely shocked her. He swept her up in a tight hug, her feet coming off of the ground.

Judy cried out with laughter. "Nick, what are you–"

"You know what, Rabbit? I love you too; you're like a sister to me."

The world stopped.

Judy quickly wriggled out of his embrace.

"Whoa, wait, like a _what_?" she asked, her face etched with distress.

Nick let out a laugh that filled the apartment.

"Whew, did I get you. You should have seen your face, Fluff; that was one for the books."

Judy punched him in the arm.

"That wasn't funny!" she yelled indignantly.

"Oh, I disagree," Nick laughed as his expression returned to its usual lazy appearance.

"Sly fox," Judy scoffed at his trick.

"Dumb bunny."

The two shared a moment of laughter before Judy took matters into her own paws.

"Well, we should really get to bed," she reasoned.

"After what you just said? That's hardly fair."

"That was just kind of it, you know?" Judy shrugged.

Nick gave her a humored look.

"I most certainly do not know, but if you're tired, I get it. I'll get you some blankets and pillows."

A few minutes later, Nick returned with an armful of bedding, which Judy used to create a makeshift bed on Nick's couch. The two then awkwardly bid each other good night before parting ways.

Neither one of them slept very well that night as thoughts of the other filled their heads; Nick shifted at the thought of not expressing his feelings, and Judy fidgeted at the remembrance of Nick's original reaction. Both silently told themselves that they would talk eventually, that everything would be out in the open soon, and with that, the two fell asleep with nothing but love on their minds.

Hours later, Judy let her eyes flutter open as she took in the sight of daylight streaming through the window and the sounds of busy Zootopia outside. Slowly sitting up and stretching dreamily, Judy glanced at the clock before going rigid.

It was 12:48.

Their shift began in twelve minutes.

"We overslept! Nick!" Judy raced to the end of the hallway and began pounding on the door.

With no immediate reply, Judy threw the door open, the knob slamming against the wall behind it.

"Nick! Get up!"

Nick was lying on his side, the blankets wrapped around his waist as he continued to sleep the day away. If not for her being in a scramble to get to work, Judy might have taken the time to note how peaceful he looked.

"Nick! Get up! Now!"

Nick was groggily stumbling to his feet in seconds.

"Wazgoinon?"

"We're late! Get up!"

With a groan, Nick collapsed back onto the bed.

"Too tired," he mumbled into the pillows.

Judy picked up a pillow that had fallen on the floor and began beating him over the head with it.

"Get up!"

"Ah, okay!" Nick attempted to shield himself with his paws and then the blankets.

"Get your butt out of bed, Wilde!" Judy yelled as she gave Nick one final smack before dropping the pillow and running back to the living room, where she snatched up her and Nick's keys and badges before running back into the bedroom. Nick was sitting up on the edge of the bed, rubbing the ruffled fur on the top of his head and ears.

"Let's go!" Judy shouted as she grabbed his arm and dragged him from the bedroom and out the front door, leaving the apartment a mess of dirty dishes and wrinkled bedding.

Judy sped to the ZPD, her foot never leaving the accelerant. She barely noticed that Nick was gripping onto the seat with his claws, his eyes wide in fear as he held on for dear life. Judy had barely put the car in park before she was flying out of the seat and into the ZPD, while Nick sauntered in behind her.

"We're here!" Judy shouted as soon as she was through the glass doors.

Every animal in the lobby and in the hallway balconies overlooking the lobby stopped and stared at the disheveled bunny. Judy froze at the thought of how crazy she must look. She hadn't meant to make such an extreme entrance, she was just a little bedraggled and frantic.

Nick chuckled as he walked in, a spring in his step, a look of pure enjoyment in his features.

"Carrots," he called quietly.

Judy turned and glanced at Nick, her face already slightly red from her embarrassing outburst.

"I know, I know. Don't say it," she pleaded quietly.

"Rabbit, as much as I would love to tell you how embarrassing that was, you should look down."

Judy gave him a perplexed look before Nick pointed at her shirt, directing her attention downward. A gasp escaped her lips before she looked back up at Nick. Her entrance had been embarrassing and awkward, but not as much as what she was wearing.

"Why didn't you say anything?" she hissed at him.

Nick shrugged as he took in the amount of attention they were receiving.

"We were going to change at work anyway. Guess I didn't give it much thought, but I guess I also didn't expect you to announce yourself," Nick snickered.

Judy slowly turned to face the reception desk, where Clawhauser was giving her a very animated look. Dropping her head in shame, she began walking past the dozens of pairs of eyes to the ZPD offices. She tried not to think about the number of her colleagues who were looking at the bright Hawaiian shirt that was draped around her figure, the shirt that most certainly wasn't hers.

Judy had barely made it six feet when Chief Bogo's deep voice rang out.

"Hopps! Wilde! My office now!"

"Oh, God," Judy whispered, mortified.

She could hear Nick take a deep breath as he tried to swallow his laughter.

"Oh, this is going to be good. Don't you think, Carrots?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Chief, look, I can explain!"

"I'm sure you can, Hopps! Inappropriate workplace relations with your partner–"

"No, we didn't do anything! Chief, it's not what it looks like!"

Chief Bogo snorted as he looked directly at Nick's shirt that was still hanging off of Judy.

"I'll tell you what it looks like–" the cape buffalo began roughly.

"But it isn't! Nick took off his shirt and–"

"That is quite enough, Officer Hopps! I should fire you right here!"

Judy's face flushed as she realized how that must have sounded.

"N-no, that's not what I meant," she squeaked, her long ears drooping. "H-e… his shirt… it w-was…"

Judy helplessly turned to Nick, who was casually leaning against the back wall of the Chief's office, a smirk on his face as he watched the bunny dig herself a hole of regret.

"Nick, tell him!" Judy urged quietly.

Nick looked up at the Chief, who was standing with his large arms folded over his bulking chest, his nostrils flaring with anger.

"Keep it short, Fox," he snarled.

"Short?" Nick gave a hollow laugh.

Judy watched in horror as the fox sauntered forward a few steps, the look on his face proof that he was thoroughly enjoying the situation.

"Alright, here are the highlights," Nick began, but Judy could already tell he was only going to make things worse.

"No!" she gasped, but it was too late; he was already launching into his explanation.

"Judy was at my apartment."

"Nick, _no_!"

"Hopps, shut your mouth and let him speak!"

"We had dinner," Nick continued as he shot a smug look at Judy.

"Don't you dare," she hissed back at him.

"And I took my shirt off before she told me that she loved me. Now, here we are," Nick stated confidently, a shadow of an evil grin playing across his face.

The Chief shifted uncomfortably as he cleared his throat. Judy's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in absolute shock.

"Nicholas Wilde–" the bunny yelled.

"Enough! I've heard enough" the Chief said gruffly. "Hopps, you are going to file an incident report immediately. You'll be lucky to get off with a suspension. Now get out of my office!"

The color drained from Judy's face as she looked on the verge of tears.

"But, sir–"

"_Out_!" the Chief hollered, his voice rattling the pictures hung on the walls.

Without casting a single glance in Nick's general direction, the little rabbit began to slink out of the office. She was going home, that decision was final, and that final decision was made before she had even opened the door.

"Chief?"

"Didn't you hear me, Wilde?"

"Yes, sir, I did hear you. I just wanted to let you know that Judy was at my apartment having dinner because she was too afraid to go home. She wanted – no, _needed_ – to talk to someone about her… incident. She told me she loved me simply because we are friends and I was there with her when she was hurt. She was wearing my shirt because I dropped a glass of water that spilled all over her."

The Chief's expression softened slightly, but remained grave.

"I would have thought that after all of this time, you would have come to trust Officer Hopps," Nick stated. "I know I have."

At Nick's words, Judy turned away from the office's exit to look at the massive cape buffalo, who was apparently deep in thought.

"Hopps, keep a leash on your partner's tricks and I'll let this slide," the Chief suddenly stated in a husky voice.

Judy's ears straightened as she let out a sigh of relief and felt her spirits raise almost instantly.

"Yes, sir," she sniffled.

With that, Nick and Judy exited the Chief's office and made their way down to the ZPD locker rooms.

"That was a close one, huh, Carrots?" Nick chortled as they began to part ways between the locker rooms.

Judy gave a sincere noise of distaste before opening the women's locker room door and disappearing from sight.

Nick changed slowly, taking time to admire himself in the long mirror of the locker room. On his exit, he saw no sign of Judy. Assuming that he must have changed quicker than her, he leaned against one of the walls of the hallway and slipped his phone from his pocket. After a few minutes of playing on his phone, a bored expression on his face, he heard the women's locker room door creak open. He looked up to see Judy, who was now dressed in her police uniform attire.

A part of Nick was saddened that she had changed, even though he knew that there was no way she would have kept wearing his shirt; the fact remained that Judy looked good in his clothes. However, she looked just as good in her uniform. Nick's eyes roamed over her outfit for a third time before finally taking in her facial expression.

Yikes.

Judy looked as if she was ready to kill him, and honestly, she was.

"We need to talk," she hissed at him.

"Uh, sure, what about?" Nick attempted to put on an innocent face, but was interrupted when Judy came flying at him, her paw snatching his right ear as she dragged him down the hallway and through the lobby, eyes on them for the second time that day.

"Ow, let go, Rabbit! _Ow_! That hurts! Clawhauser! Help!"

"Careful, Judy, or you'll break him," Clawhauser sang in absolute joy.

"Oh, I fully intend to," Judy muttered loud enough for Nick to hear.

"Hey, let's be rational now! _Ow_, my ear!"

Judy painfully dragged Nick all of the way out of the building, around the corner, and to the front of their SUV. Once at the car, Judy released Nick's ear from her clutches long enough to let his paws fly up to rub the pain away before she slammed him up against the side of the vehicle.

"What were you thinking in there?" she snapped at him. "You almost got me fired!"

"Oh, Buffalo Butt wasn't going to do anything."

"Can you say the same for me?" Judy asked, a deadly expression in her eyes.

She then gave Nick a hard punch to his upper arm, making his face scrunch in an exaggerated version of pain.

"You just embarrassed me in front of everyone!" she huffed.

"Uh, correction: you embarrassed yourself in front of everyone."

"Nick!"

"Alright, alright! I shouldn't have said that."

"And?"

"And I shouldn't have let you run in there and make a fool of yourself – _Ow_!"

Nick recoiled from Judy's second punch to the arm, this one packing double the exertion as the last one.

"I mean," Nick quickly corrected. "I shouldn't have let you go into work with my shirt on."

"And?"

"What do you want me to do, apologize, Fluff?" Nick scoffed.

Judy's mouth turned up into a grin of pure wickedness.

"You gotta be kidding me," Nick said with a roll of his eyes as he ran his paw over his face.

"Say it."

"I'm sorry," Nick huffed with a lazy expression, which Judy shook her head at.

"Nuh-uh, a _real_ apology. You've got to mean it."

Nick dramatically slumped against the side of the vehicle as he let out a groan.

"Fine," he whined. "I'm sorry for what I did, Carrots."

Judy let out a "hmph" of triumph as she nodded at the satisfactory apology.

"That will do," she smiled. "Now, let's go follow up on that possible lead we were talking about over dinner last night."

Judy opened the car door and jumped up into the driver's seat.

"Oh, hey Carrots?"

"Yeah?" Judy looked back at Nick, who was leaning against the open car door, a smirk plastered on his face. "About last night…"

Judy heard the sound of a tape rewinding and then the unmistakable sound of her own voice.

_"I love you, Nick." _

Judy watched in awe as Nick twirled her one-and-only carrot pen in his paw before pressing rewind again.

_"I love you, Nick." _

"You didn't–"

"Oh, I most certainly did."

The tape rotated back to replay for a third time.

_"I love you, Nick." _

"Nick, give me the pen," Judy threatened.

"Oh, no, no, no! This is definitely mine from now on. It's going to take some serious convincing for me to let you delete this."

Nick removed his sunglasses from his shirt collar and slid them over his eyes before walking around the front of the car to the passenger's side, all while making taunting eye contact with Judy.

Once inside the car, Nick reclined against the seat and tucked the carrot pen into his shirt pocket, patting the pocket to outrage Judy even more, who was watching his little act with growing disdain. With a flick of a wrist, Nick let his sunglasses glide just a little way down his snout so that he could peer over the top rims at Judy.

"Oh, and Carrots?"

"What now?" Judy grumbled.

Nick took note of her ears that were limp with defeat, and her moody expression.

"I love you, too, Darling."


	8. Chapter 8

"Hi, Officer Hopps, ZPD. How are you?"

The rhinoceros security guard fixed Judy with a spiritless gaze before looking down at the ID badges she had handed to him.

"Who's he?" the guard grunted.

Nick sauntered forward with a sanguine expression, prepared to put on a show; Judy beat him to it.

"Officer Wilde, my partner. That's his badge there. Is everything in order then?"

The rhino grunted in reply and swiped his security key into the consoles in front of him, unlocking the steel security gates. "Main office is just ahead."

After praising the rhino for his help (and not receiving a reply), Judy and Nick made their way up the winding road that led to the Zootopia Maximum Security Prison. The massive prison looked dark and depressing as it loomed over the horizon; it looked like a stereotypical movie trope as it loomed under a clouding sky.

Seeing how much walking they were going to be doing in the next few minutes as they made their journey toward the prison, Nick decided to strike up a conversation.

"You wanna talk?" he asked playfully.

"Not until you give me that pen."

"I'll give you the pen if you talk."

"What would you like to talk about, Nick?" Judy sighed.

The loathing in her voice brought a smile to Nick's face.

"Up to you, Rabbit."

"Who asks a person if they want to talk, but then tells the person to pick the conversation topic?" Judy scoffed.

"Someone who loves you," Nick replied affectionately.

"I hate you so much sometimes," Judy giggled, unable to be mad at the fox for too long.

"If you hated me that much, you wouldn't have asked me to come with you to do this."

"This is your case."

Nick let out an audible gasp as he laid the drama on thick.

"My own case? What an honor!"

"Very funny" Judy remarked dryly. "Do me a favor and try to keep the sarcasm to a minimum in here."

"No can do, Carrots."

"And why is that?"

"Well, if you can recall, this sheep would have darted me with a serum that would have made me maul you if not for the fact that I happen to love blueberries, so I have quite a few sarcastic things to say to her."

"Bellwether is doing her time, Nick. She's paying for what she did."

"Yes, but that apparently didn't stop her from finding a way to dose more animals, including a fox. Oh, and not just any fox – a fox that you just happened to be chasing, and not only was this fox dosed, but he was dosed right before he–"

"We don't know if Bellwether is behind this," Judy reminded him. "I just thought it would be a good idea to start with the most obvious suspect."

Nick didn't reply for a few minutes, and in fact, he didn't reply at all; he changed the subject.

"So, when do I get to meet your parents?"

"Excuse me?"

"When do I get to meet Mr. and Mrs. Carrots?"

"Nick, you've already met my parents."

"Well yeah, but I met them as your partner and your friend."

Judy stopped walking and looked at Nick with perplexity.

"What else would you meet them as?" she asked curiously.

"Your boyfriend."

Judy couldn't help but laugh at the fox's reply.

"My _what_? Nick, we aren't dating."

"Ah, right, I forgot!" Nick exclaimed as he pretended to smack his forehead.

Nick then stopped walking, which made Judy stop walking to investigate why he wasn't moving. They weren't even halfway to the prison and they had already been walking for twenty minutes. Nick falsely straightened his tie and his shirt before smoothing back his ears. Confounded, Judy watched the spectacle. After thirty seconds of pretend grooming, Nick looked into Judy's eyes, a serious pout falling over his face. He then stopped and gave her a quizzical look.

"Oh, wait, what's your middle name?"

"What? I'm not telling you that!" Judy laughed.

"Ugh, fine, you always have to make things harder," Nick complained before putting the intense pouty face back on. "Judy WhateverYourMiddleNameIs Hopps, will you be my girlfriend?"

"I don't find this funny."

"I asked politely!"

"Are you being serious?"

"What if I told you that you get the pen if you say 'yes'?"

Judy's interest piqued.

"I get the pen, huh?" she thought out loud.

Nick took the pen out and waved it around teasingly. Judy watched the orange plastic glint in the minimum amount of sunshine that was able to make its way through the clouds.

"Give the pen to me first," Judy demanded.

"Say 'yes' first."

"Nick!"

Nick hit the rewind button on the carrot pen.

_"I love you, Nick."_

"Stop playing it!" Judy snapped.

"Say it then."

"I have a case to solve," Judy said as she turned and started walking again, leaving Nick behind.

Nick wasn't hurt, he wasn't even angry; he was happy. She was playing hard-to-get and he loved every minute of it. She would say "yes" eventually – there was no doubt in his mind – it was just a matter of how long they would play the flirting game; Nick could play it all day.

After going through three different security checks, filling out a moderate amount of paperwork, and waiting for a little under thirty minutes, Judy and Nick were finally allowed into a private interrogation room. Bellwether was awaiting them there, her hooves bound in a heavy set of cuffs, her orange prison uniform looking slightly dingy.

"Geez, they act like she's going to kill someone. She's just a sheep," Judy heard Nick mutter under his breath.

"Oh, Judy, how good it is to see you again!" Bellwether cried cheerfully as soon as the pair enterd the room.

Her eyes glanced at Nick, her gaze momentarily filled with disgust, before she turned back to Judy with a false upbeat attitude.

"Tell us about the Night Howlers," Judy cut right to the point.

"I'm sorry, the what now? Oh, do you mean the Midnicampum Holicithias? Such an awful drug, especially to predators."

The sheep shot another hateful glance at Nick, who was beginning to notice, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"We know that you know about the ones on the street, Bellwether," Judy continued.

"Now, Judy, how would I know that? I'm in prison!" Bellwether exclaimed.

"By the way," Nick cut in. "How is prison?"

Judy shot him a look; what was he doing? Bellwether's expression went cold as she focused on the fox.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, the false joy in her voice now abandoned.

"I asked how being in jail is."

"I hardly see how that matters."

"Just a question. I take it that it isn't going well," Nick said as he shook his head in phony sympathy.

Bellwether remained silent, a scowl on her face.

"I'm sure a little sheep like you isn't doing so well in here with all these big predators," Nick mused. "Hey, weren't you arrested for trying to take down all predators? Wow, how… unfortunate."

"Don't you have a bunny to eat?" Bellwether snapped.

"No, but I do enjoy lamb chops."

Judy's eyes widened at how quickly the situation escalated.

"Nick!" she said in a surprised tone.

Nick held up his paw to quiet her. In any other situation, Judy would have chastised Nick for such a gesture, but she only remained silent now.

"Speaking about eating bunnies, did you hear what happened?" Nick asked.

Bellwether huffed impatiently, but refused to reply. Judy watched Nick as what he was doing dawned on her.

"Judy was recently attacked by a fox that went savage after having some Night Howlers. Almost killed her. Isn't that a coincidence, Carrots?"

Bellwether glanced at Judy before looking back at Nick.

"Thing is, I don't need to ask you if you had anything to do with it, because the fox already gave me all of the facts. Mr. Silver was quite insightful."

"He didn't know my name!" Bellwether shouted before clamping a hoof to her mouth.

Nick smirked.

"No, he didn't know it, but I do now."

Judy called for guards to escort a fuming Bellwether back to her cell, letting them know that the sheep had contact to the outside and that security needed to be doubled.

"Check the interrogation tapes if you need to," Judy told them.

"Nick, that was amazing!" Judy was laughing a few moments later as they began making their way down the road to their car. "You just got her to confess! Now they can review the security cams and see who her informant is! We've got them now!"

Nick let out a chuckle, but didn't say much else.

"You know," Judy toyed. "I might just think about saying 'yes.'"

Nick took the bait, his ears perking up.

"Really?" he asked.

"Really," she replied as she began walking a little closer to him.

Nick stopped suddenly, making Judy stop with him, their bodies only centimeters apart.

"Why did we stop?" Judy asked.

"I just wanted to…" Nick leaned in close.

Judy's heart fluttered as she felt his paws on her waist. He wouldn't, would he? He was so close; she could feel the heat of his breath. Judy's eyes fluttered shut.

"Take this," Nick whispered.

Judy opened her eyes to see Nick a few inches away now, the carrot pen in his paw and a triumphant look on his face.

"Don't think I didn't see you pick this up in security, Rabbit."

"That's not fair!" Judy yelled as she scrunched her nose angrily.

"You act as if I care," Nick shrugged before he began walking again.

Judy stared in disgust at his figure sauntering away. She heard the pen start playing.

_"I love you, Nick."_ … _"I love you, Nick."_ … _"I love you, Nick."_

"Ugh, Nick!" Judy yelled after him.

She heard him call over his shoulder, his voice clearly expressing the smirk that he must have been wearing.

"It's called a hustle, Sweetheart."


	9. Chapter 9

"The answer is 'no,' Nick."

"But-"

"I said 'no!'"

Nick's ears flattened against his head as he pouted.

"You're such a buzz kill," he grumbled.

"And you're irresponsible! Honestly, who goes to get coffee in the middle of a stakeout?"

"Me, when the stakeout involves an all-nighter."

It was 1:43 in the morning. Judy and Nick had been sitting in their SUV for hours. They were just on the outskirts of Sahara Square, parked on an abandoned street that ran in front of several run-down buildings, including an old canned-food factory that they believed was the location of the Night Howler operation. The Zootopia Maximum Security Prison security tapes had revealed that a rat had been sneaking in to inform Bellwether of the operation. With the help of some other officers and traffic cameras, Nick and Judy had tracked the rat down to this location.

This was it, the break they had been looking for.

"All I'm saying," Nick continued. "Is that a little bit of coffee wouldn't hurt–"

"I see movement! Let's go!" Judy exclaimed as she hopped out of the car.

"After all, I need coffee to function – Carrots? Carrots!"

Nick looked up to see Judy across the street, her back pressed up against the brick wall. She already had her tranquilizer gun pulled from her holster, ready to take down an unexpecting suspect. Nick quickly exited the vehicle and jogged over to her location.

"What are you doing?" he whispered urgently.

"I'm putting this thing to an end."

With that, Judy kicked the rusty door open and began making her way inside, Nick following close behind. The two made their way through a maze of old machinery and boxes until they came to the central room of the factory. Voices could be heard just ahead.

"Ay, I did my job!"

"If you did your job, then that bunny cop wouldn't be alive, now would she?"

"How was I 'posed to know she had a partna?"

"You were supposed to dose her partner, you idiot!"

"Well, then who'd I dose?"

"The fox who was working for us! He was the bait for the cop, and you shot him!"

"Al'ight, al'ight, I'll get him next time."

"There won't be a next time, you dumb rat, because I'm doing it!"

"Aw, come on, Boss. How ya gonna do it? They'll see ya comin' a mile 'way!"

"The shot will already have been taken by then."

Judy looked back at Nick.

"They have dart guns," she mouthed silently.

Nick nodded as he quietly removed his own tranquilizer gun from his belt. He watched as Judy peeked her head around the pile of boxes they were currently using as coverage. Several tables were set up as makeshift gardens, all filled with Night Howlers in full bloom. At the end of one of the tables stood a sand-colored mountain lion, who was loading a dart gun. The rat informant stood on the corner of the table, handing the big cat the bluish-purple pellets filled with the Night Howler serum.

"Mountain lion," Judy mouthed at Nick.

"Call for back-up," Nick replied silently as he gestured at the boor behind them.

"No way!" This time, when Judy's lips moved, noise actually escaped, as she was unable to contain her outrage at his suggestion.

Realizing her mistake, Judy's eyes widened as her heart began racing. Her ears shot up as she listened for any movement; there was none.

Uh-oh.

In an instant, the boxes around them came tumbling down as the mountain lion attacked.

"Run!" Judy screamed as they took off down the rows of Night Howlers.

The mountain lion was on all fours, his muscles rippling as he viciously pounced after them. Nick turned and flipped one of the tables onto its side, momentarily blocking the cat's path. Judy began climbing a pile of boxes that towered up toward the building's upper floor scaffolding, Nick was at her heels, pushing her up when she came to a box that was too large for her to climb on her own. The big cat began scaling the boxes at a rapid pace, but the lower rows of boxes began tumbling down, making them all sway back and forth in an unsteady motion that made the cat fall back down to the floor below with a loud growl. Judy and Nick barely made it up onto the planks of the upper floor before the tower went cascading down.

"Go, go, go!" Nick shouted as he pushed Judy forward.

The mountain lion was already back on his feet, making his way for the dart gun that the rat had finished loading and was now holding up eagerly. At the same time, Nick's foot slipped, breaking through the thin layer of wood beneath them.

"Nick!"

"Keep going!"

"Not without you!"

"My foot is stuck, just go!" Nick urged.

Judy ran back to him, nonetheless, and frantically tried to help him free his foot from the wood. On the lower floor, the mountain lion took his aim. Nick saw the dart gun point at him, and with one fluent motion, he snatched Judy's pair of handcuffs from her belt and cuffed his right paw to the rickety railing of the walkway.

"Nick, what are you doing?" Judy shouted at him as she fumbled to get the handcuff keys from her pocket.

"Carrots, listen to me! You need to get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you!"

"You have to go–"

"No!"

"Judy!"

Judy stopped searching for the keys and looked into his green eyes, and was shocked to see that Nick looked scared.

"Nick–"

"I love you–"

_Bang!_

The trigger pulled, sending a perfectly circular ball of the Night Howler serum out of the barrel of the gun and up toward Nick's location. With a splatter, the ball shattered against the side of Nick's neck, blue liquid staining his fur. Nick bit down as he attempted to scrape the liquid off of his skin, but the effects were instantaneous. Judy's breath caught in her throat as she watched Nick begin to wriggle in discomfort. On the floor below, the mountain lion was laughing menacingly.

"Freeze!" Judy yelled as she picked her tranquilizer gun up from where she had dropped it on the wood earlier while attempting to help Nick.

"You can always catch me, but can you contain him?" the mountain lion jeered.

Judy looked to where the mountain lion's eyes were gazing. Nick was on all fours, well, almost; his paw that was cuffed was awkwardly being held up as he hissed and growled at Judy, his eyes wide.

"Oh, Nick…" she sighed, heartsick.

This was her fault; she should have called for back-up, but she didn't. Nick was right; she didn't know when to quit.

The mountain lion began sprinting for the door, but didn't make it very far when Judy's tranquilizer gun's dart went flying into the back of his left shoulder. With an angered snarl, he collapsed on the floor, his breathing heavy. Just then, a set of claws grazed across Judy's cheek, leaving a series of long scratches in their wake. She cried out and looked to find Nick lashing out with his free front paw. Judy reached up and touched her cheek, feeling the fresh cuts that were now covering the old ones that Gideon Grey had inflicted long ago.

Nick snarled as he continued to attempt to twist out of the handcuffs in order to attack Judy. She wasn't afraid, she was simply disappointed in herself for letting this happen. With a sigh, Judy removed the syringe full of Night Howler antidote from her belt. After the incident that led to Bellwether's first arrest, Judy stayed on the safe side and kept a bit of the antidote with her at all times.

Careful to avoid his claws, Judy stuck the syringe into the base of Nick's neck and waited patiently. Working like a sedative, Nick was out in moments, his breathing ragged.

"You're going to be okay, Nick. I promise," Judy murmured, more to reassure herself than Nick.

Minutes passed, but Nick still didn't stir, his breathing now becoming shallower.

"Nick?" Judy asked worriedly, afraid that something had gone wrong.

Without any warning, a copy of Judy's voice rang out through the quiet factory.

_"I love you, Nick." _

Still lying on his back, Nick handed Judy the pen before running his free paw over his face with a groan.

"That's going to hurt in the morning," he wheezed as he massaged his neck and shoulder.

"You jerk," Judy laughed as she fought back tears.

"Hey, I gave you the pen, didn't I?"

Judy snorted as she looked at him affectionately.

"What?" he asked. "Why are you giving me the bunny eyes?"

"Yes."

"'Yes' what?"

"Yes, I'll be your girlfriend, Nicholas IDon'tCareWhatYourMiddleNameIs Wilde."


	10. Chapter 10

Nick and Judy called back-up to have the mountain lion arrested. Unfortunately, the rat got away with some of the Night Howlers, so the case was still open, but with the main supplier arrested, things were starting to look better than they had weeks earlier. It wouldn't be long before the rat was behind bars and the Night Howlers were off of the street once again.

Chief Bogo arrived with responding officers and was the first one to find Nick and Judy, who were still up on the scaffolding. With the help of a miniature lift, the Chief was able to get to the second story without having to put more weight on the already fragile wood, but his expression clearly showed the questions forming in his mind as Judy and Nick came into view. They both smiled at him, greeting him friendly, but after a while, it was apparent to the Chief that this had been more than a simple stakeout turned into a Night Howler bust. Nick's foot was still stuck in the wooden plank, his paw still handcuffed to the railing, and Judy had a slightly bloody scratch across her cheek, her tranquilizer gun lying next to her. The pair had both silently agreed to not let Chief Bogo know all of the details; it was easier that way.

"What on Earth happened here?" he bellowed at the two.

Neither one knew how to respond at first, so the Chief kept talking.

"I get a call that you cracked the case open and I show up to find you all cuffed up and stuck in a plank," the Chief pointed a hoof at Nick.

"And you," the Chief turned toward Judy. "All I can say is my God, what happened to your face, Hopps?"

It was an enraged question, not a concerned question.

Nick quickly looked at Judy's cut face, panic washing over him.

"We've had a rough night, Chief," Judy laughed. "But we got the guy and we know where to go from here, so just give us a minute to get ourselves figured out and – Nick?"

Judy had been midsentence when she had briefly glanced over at Nick to simply include him in the conversation, only to find that he was clutching at his chest, his breathing harsh and loud.

"Wilde, what's the matter with you?" the Chief barked.

Nick looked from Judy to the Chief, his breathing becoming rougher, his paws first clawing at his chest, and then the handcuffs.

"Get these off," he wheezed. "Judy, get them off!"

Judy grabbed the keys and undid the handcuffs, allowing Nick to hold himself with both paws.

"Nick, are you okay?"

"Help me get out," Nick gasped as he began clutching at his trapped foot.

"Get me a saw, now," the Chief ordered over his communicator while Judy tried to calm Nick down.

Moments later, Nick's foot had been freed after the wood was cut loose. However, Nick was still having some sort of fit, as he was now curled into a ball, still gasping for air.

"Nick, what's going on? Talk to me," Judy pressed as she tried to pull his paws away from his chest. "Can you breathe? Are you hurt?"

Nick looked up into Judy's eyes in a panic, and recognition dawned in his eyes as if he were seeing her for the first time.

"Judy," he breathed before snuggling his head up under her chin and wrapping his arms around her, as if he were a cub.

"We'll clear out now, Hopps," the Chief cleared his throat. "I think you've got this under control."

The factory fell silent once more as the patrol cars drove away, leaving the pair alone.

"Nick, what's going on?" Judy asked quietly as she attempted to hold the fox that was two times her size.

"The cut… on your face… and muzzles… foxes…" He wasn't speaking in full sentences, but Judy got the gist.

"I'm fine, Nick, it's just a little scratch. They aren't going to muzzle you, I promise."

Judy could feel Nick shaking and it was becoming clear that he was having a panic attack from the crushing anxiety that was crashing down on him in waves.

"Don't leave, Judy… don't leave," he whimpered.

Judy's heart fell, as his usual cockiness was gone, now replaced by fear and sadness. There was no sarcasm, there was no flirting, there was just Nick's real emotions coming through loud and clear.

"I won't," she whispered.

"I'm so sorry, Judy."

"You don't need to be sorry."

"Your face… and your neck… and the fox that hurt you when you were a kid…"

"Nick, those things just make me who I am," Judy sighed with a smile. "None of that is your fault."

"I should have been there," Nick muttered. "I should always be there."

"Nick, things happen, and we can't always control that."

"I want to hear that story," Nick said.

"Story?"

"Of that fox that hurt you when you were a kid… if that's okay."

Judy thought of that day when she had decided that she was going to be an officer, that day when she decided to stand up to the bully who had taken tickets from the other animals, that day when Gideon Grey had swiped her cheek and left her in the dirt.

"When I was nine," she stated softly. "A fox was bullying some of the other bunnies and sheep. I stood up to him, and he scratched me."

"What did you do?" Nick had finally calmed down, but he was still cradled against Judy.

"Picked myself up and went on with life."

Silence fell between them for a few moments as the two enjoyed one another's company. Despite the uncomfortable wooden plank supporting them, and the dusty old factory that surrounded them, there was no place either one of them would rather be.

After a few minutes of nothing but the wind blowing outside, Judy felt Nick shift slightly and then heard the telltale sound of the carrot pen's tape rewinding.

_"Yes, I'll be your girlfriend."_

"You're unbelievable," Judy giggled as she playfully punched him.

"And you're not single."

There it was: the sarcasm, the warmth, the teasing. In an instant, the serious moment turned flirtatious, and Judy found herself laughing at it all. Nick sat up, still close to Judy, and looked into her amethyst eyes.

"Why are you laughing?" Nick asked as he started to laugh himself.

"I don't know!" Judy giggled.

"Well, stop laughing, I have a question," Nick stated lovingly before patiently waiting for her to control her laughter.

"Does that mean that I can do this…?"

He leaned in, his paws finding her waist. Judy leaned in, her heart skipping a beat, her eyes fluttering shut, before they snapped open in disbelief.

"Are you trying to take the car keys?"

Nick stopped abruptly, slowly putting the car keys back onto Judy's belt.

"No?" he replied in an innocent voice.

"Nicholas Wilde!" Judy rolled her eyes in complete disbelief.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do when you never let me get coffee?" Nick whined.

"Apparently jumping out at red lights always works."

"And risk getting a lecture? No thanks, I'll pass," Nick smirked.

"You know you love me," Judy teased.

"Do I know that?" Nick grinned at her before answering his own question. "Yes, yes I do."

"Hey, that's my line," Judy giggled cheerfully as she grabbed his perfectly loose tie.

With a teasing look, Judy pulled Nick closer and kissed him. Instantaneously, the two found one another intoxicating. Every emotion they had ever felt toward one another was now finally being expressed in one simple action. Both fell into the kiss easily, as if they had done it a million times before. After a few blissful moments of their emotions finally becoming physical, they withdrew from one another, still staring into each other's eyes, the memory of the kiss still on their lips.

"Thank you," Nick breathed.

"For what?"

"For helping me. For believing that I was better than what everyone else thought, better than what I thought… and for the kiss."

Judy chuckled at the cheesiness in his words.

"Thank you," she stated in a blissful tone.

"What for, Carrots? The kiss?"

"For letting me know when to quit."


	11. Chapter 11

"I don't know about this, Carrots."

"Oh, come on! Where's your sense of adventure?"

Nick and Judy sat in a booth in the back corner of their favorite coffee shop. It was an early Monday morning, which meant that Nick demanded they stop for coffee before heading into the Zootopia Police Department for a long day of work. They had parked their SUV out front, greeted a few animals as they entered the shop, and then sat in their favorite booth. Nick had just been about to get up and order them two coffees, when a flyer advertising a new product caught his attention.

"'The Bunny Espresso?' What is this world coming to?" Nick chuckled as he read the details of the flyer. "Includes coffee beans, coconut oil, butter, and grated carrots…" Nick made a disgusted face before looking at Judy, who was on the edge of her seat, her face beaming with excitement.

"How much is it?" she asked.

"You aren't seriously considering buying it, are you?"

"Nope, I _know_ I'm buying it."

"Rabbit, it's a Bunny Espresso, it's meant to keep you awake for like a month, and the ingredients sound awful."

"You're being overdramatic, it's just a drink," Judy replied with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm not ordering it."

"I'll do your paperwork for two weeks."

Nick gave her a look of interest before shaking his head and becoming reasonable again. "I don't know about this, Carrots."

"Oh, come on! Where's your sense of adventure?"

"My sense of adventure is tired and not about to order something that looks like blended carrots and dirt."

"Fine, I'll get it myself," Judy sighed in frustration.

With that, Nick watched as Judy's little cottontail meandered up to the counter, where she promptly ordered a regular coffee and a Bunny Espresso. Minutes later, an otter waitress brought them their drinks.

"This should be good," Nick muttered as he watched Judy bring the cup to her mouth.

One taste, and it was over.

"This is _so_ good! You have to try this, Nick!"

"Uh, no thanks, and slow down before you drown yourself."

Judy was practically chugging the drink, not caring about the possible side effects. In seconds, it was gone and she was bouncing in her seat. Nick was captivated by how quickly the boosted caffeine took a hold of her system.

"Feeling okay there, Carrots?"

"Of course, I'm okay! Why wouldn't I be okay? Why are we just sitting here doing _nothing_? Let's go _do_ something!"

Before Nick could even take a sip of his coffee, Judy was ushering him out of the shop and into the car.

The drive to the ZPD was a nightmare. Judy's foot pressed the accelerant to the floor, never once letting up. She squealed in glee the entire time as Nick used his claws to hold onto his seat for dear life. Once the car had stopped, Nick thought he was going to lose his dinner from the night before. Taking deep breaths, he stepped out of the car, only to find that Judy had already zipped into the Police Department. With an eye roll, he made is way indoors; the first sight that greeted him was Judy bouncing at the reception desk as Clawhauser attempted to have a conversation with her. Even Clawhauser's usually animated attitude didn't stand a chance against the energy hurricane that was Judy.

"I'm so ready to just do something!"

"Well, I think Chief has some cases–"

"You ever just have the need to _do_ something, Clawhauser?"

"Well–"

"Well, I do! Oh, Nick, about time you showed up! You're late!"

"Late for what?"

"I don't know, but you are!" Judy said as she thumped her foot impatiently.

Nick gave her an expression that was a mix of confusion and amusement, but it was brief, as she already had his paw in her grasp as she dragged him to the assignment room. During the Chief's introduction, Judy couldn't sit still. She tapped her paws against the table, moved her chair, flicked her ears, and so on. Everyone in the room, at one point or another, looked at the little bunny who couldn't stay still for more than a second. Nick was surprised the Chief hadn't noticed. Well, honestly, the Chief probably had noticed, which meant that Nick was surprised that he hadn't yelled at Judy.

"She's just jittery," Nick whispered to a nearby wolf officer after the wolf asked if she was okay.

Finally, the Chief began assigning cases, calling each unit member's names out. Nick and Judy's unit was always assigned last.

"Hopps, Wilde: There has been a string of burglaries in Tundra–"

Judy raced to the front and snatched the file from the Chief's hoof before darting out of the room, all the while delightfully screaming about having something to do. The Chief looked after her, a bewildered expression plastered on his face.

"Wilde! Get a hold of your partner!" he bellowed after recomposing himself.

"I wish I could, Chief, I wish I could," Nick muttered as he exited the room.

"Alright, Rabbit, where we headed first – Carrots?"

In mere seconds, Nick had lost track of Judy.

"Dumb bunny," he grumbled as he made his way back out to the car, but when he arrived, the SUV was gone, along with Judy.

"You gotta be kidding me," the fox mumbled.

Slightly aggravated, Nick turned to go back into the ZPD in order to check out another vehicle, only to be interrupted by the screech of tires behind him and a blur of gray fur flying past.

"Solved the case! It was a llama!" Judy exclaimed as she hooted loudly with her paws in the air before racing back inside.

The rabbit was moving at the speed of light; moments later, she was running past him with another file, but this time, Nick was ready for her.

Reaching out, he latched onto the back of the collar of her shirt, making her stop abruptly. She began talking a mile a minute as she struggled to get free.

"Nick, _let go_, we have a case: Jaguar in Rainforest thinks neighbors are loud and we have to deal with it or the place could fall apart, which would be disastrous, so we have to go _now_!"

"No way, Fluff, we are staying here."

"_What_?"

Despite her loud protests, Nick dragged Judy back into the ZPD lobby, where he tackled her onto the ground, much to her disliking. The two then struggled on the laminated floor for a bit as one attempted to leave and the other attempted to keep her from leaving. A small crowd began to appear as Nick finally dominated the bunny, now sitting on top of her to keep her from moving.

"Ooof! Nick get _off_!" Judy yelped in frustration.

"No can do, Rabbit. Not until that caffeine is out of your system."

"You're heavy, get _off_!" Judy yelled, her paws flailed about.

"You know you love me."

"You are so dead when I get up!"

"Doubt it."

For hours, the two sat in the lobby arguing as Nick refused to move. Many animals watched the spectacle take place, some chortling at the sight, others giving annoyed looks. At one point, the Chief even walked by, saw them, and quickly turned his attention to something else in order to escape the situation.

"I don't know, maybe it's worn off by now?" Clawhauser asked after it had been surprisingly quiet for more than two minutes.

Nick gave the cheetah a smirk.

"She's faking it, Clawhauser."

"_Nick_!" Judy screamed at him.

The majority of the day passed by and Judy was still wired with caffeine, and her need to do something was growing more and more urgent. She even went as far to snatch the carrot pen from Nick's shirt pocket so that she could play with it.

"Nick's a jerk," she stated confidently while pressing 'record' on the pen.

Nick rolled his eyes.

"Give me the pen, Carrots."

"Oh, I'm sorry, does this bother you?" Judy pressed play on the pen.

"_Nick's a jerk_."

The tape re-winded and played again.

"_Nick's a jerk_."

And again.

"_Nick's a jerk_."

And again.

"_Nick's a jerk_."

After playing the tape a hundred times, Judy began to randomly poke Nick in his side repeatedly.

"Rabbit, you better quit."

_Poke. Poke. Poke._

"Why, does it annoy you?"

_Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke._

"Yes!"

_Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke._

"Good."

"That drink better wear off soon, I'm tired," Nick muttered.

"Nick?" Judy asked in her sweetest voice, making Nick look down at her in suspicion.

"What?"

"It wore off hours ago. I just like annoying you."


	12. Chapter 12

"I don't play games, Fluff."

Judy fixed Nick with an astounded look, her amethyst eyes bright and her nose scrunched in disbelief.

"You, Nicholas Wilde – the _hustler_ – don't play games?"

"Nope."

"I've made my mind up, we're going."

Judy hopped out of the car and started strutting up to the door of their favorite little coffee shop. Earlier in the week, the coffee shop had begun advertising for a "Friday Night - Game Night" for their customers, and Judy was all for playing a good game. Nick, however, didn't care for board games; he didn't see the point in them, but since it was the coffee shop that was hosting it, he couldn't help but feel a slight need to go.

Two hours before the event started, Nick and Judy had gone into the diner just a few doors down from the shop and enjoyed a nice meal together on one of the rare days they had off. The day had seemed to go by in a blur as Nick and Judy had spent the day doing whatever they felt like doing. Nick had even made her a specialty pawpsicle before they went on a stroll in a nearby park.

Judy had enjoyed the day so much that she had completely forgotten about wanting to take Nick to the coffee shop's game night, and Nick certainly didn't remind her, but when they got back in the car, Judy saw the same advertising poster and was instantaneously hooked all over again.

"I'm not moving, Carrots!" Nick called after Judy through his open window.

Judy turned and gave him a look, and not just any look, the look; the look that said, "you know you're going to come with me anyway." It was the look that always made Nick sigh before grudgingly doing what she wanted.

This time, he would be participating in board game night.

The small coffee shop was packed with animals all playing various games, and Nick instantly regretted ever meeting Judy, because at this point, that was the only way he would have gotten out of game night.

"What do you want to do first?" Judy asked cheerfully.

"Get coffee."

"That's actually a really good idea, I'll have–"

"You really think I'm going to let you have coffee after what happened Monday?"

Judy's eyes widened and her mouth shut tightly as she tried to play it off as her being innocent.

"I learned my lesson–"

"No."

"But I–"

"No."

Judy scrunched her noise in frustration.

"Fine," she huffed. "But I pick the first game and I pick…"

Judy surveyed the room, her eyes falling on a plastic white mat that had four rows of large circles in red, blue, green, and yellow colors, before turning back to Nick, a smirk on her face.

"Slither."

Nick's face fell in horror.

"You can't be serious."

"Very, actually."

"Only snakes are good at that game."

"Oh, but isn't Zootopia the place where anyone can be anything?" Judy grinned. "Today, you're going to be a snake."

Without another word, she was gone, already waiting by the mat for him. With a roll of his eyes, Nick ordered one coffee, then walked over to her. She took the coffee out of his hands, much to his displeasure, and set it on an empty table just a few feet away from the mat.

"Do you want to go first? Or should I?" Judy smiled at him, waiting for him to choose a death wish either sooner or later.

"Just spin, Rabbit."

Judy set the spinner on the floor and then swiped it with her paw, letting the small black arrow spin around the square card.

The square piece of cardboard was divided into five sections: back right paw, back left paw, front right paw, front left paw, and ears/tail. The game required that the spinner land on a color in a section, meaning that you would have to put the body part to the corresponding color dot on the mat. The game went until everyone was twisted to the point that a person fell, making him or her the loser.

For Judy, the spinner stopped on the color blue in the section labeled "back right paw." With a smug look, Judy slapped her right foot onto one of the blue circles.

"Your turn."

Nick rolled his eyes and then flicked the spinner. It landed on green in the "front left paw" section. Dragging his feet, Nick walked over to one of the green circles and bitterly leaned down, placing his paw on the circle.

Fifteen minutes of flicking the spinner for direction, teetering on toes in order to not fall over, complaining about the discomfort, and glaring at one another hatefully passed.

"Dang it, Rabbit, take that back."

"I can't. I already put my foot there."

"Well, why did you choose _that_ red circle? There's one right by you!"

"Yes, but this annoys you more."

Nick growled as he looked down at Judy's foot that was directly beneath him, in between both of his paws that were glued to the surrounding circles. At this point in the game, Judy and Nick were twisted around each other uncomfortably. One of Judy's feet was right under Nick's face, the other twisted around his right leg in order to stay on a green dot, while her own arms were crossed as they reached for dots in opposite directions, and her right ear was stretched to reach a blue dot beneath her. Nick's tail was wrapped around her waist as it was touching a dot, his feet stretched in discomfort as they were on reverse ends of the mat. One slip and it would be game over for either one of them.

Nick flicked the spinner for what felt like the hundredth time and groaned.

"Left front paw to red."

"Well, looks like you'll be in for a stretch," Judy laughed.

"I wouldn't be if you hadn't taken this red dot!" Nick complained as he began to stretch for the dot that was surely going to make him fall.

Judy started laughing harder.

"Nick, stop moving your tail, it tickles!"

"Oh, yeah?" Nick toyed as he wiggled his tail, making Judy snort with laughter.

"Stop!" she squealed.

Nick started moving his tail more, letting it sweep over her waist as she shook with laughter.

"Nick, dang it, stop that. _Ah_!" Judy collapsed as she rolled on the mat laughing, tears in her eyes as she clutched her sides.

"Y-you cheater!" she gasped in between laughs.

Nick found himself laughing as he stood and helped her up from the floor.

"What next?" he asked, a smile on his face.

Judy sighed as her laughing finally ceased. "

Uh-oh, you look like you are enjoying this."

The smile vanished from Nick's face as a false look of seriousness appeared.

"No, why would you think that?"

"You so are!" Judy laughed as she punched his shoulder, making him crack a smile.

"Yeah, maybe just a little… but it's just because I'm winning."

Judy's cheerfulness ebbed away, her competitive ways coming out.

"You only won because you cheated, you can't really beat me."

Nick's ears perked up.

"Is that a challenge, Carrots?"

"Better, it's a bet."

Nick whistled, his ego taking over.

"What am I going to win?"

"Winner has to do whatever the other says for a week."

Nick didn't even need to think about it.

"Deal."

The two shook on it before turning back to the games.

"Now, it's my turn to pick, and I choose Cards," Nick said easily with a smile.

"What? No way!"

"You afraid you're going to lose, Fluff?"

"No!" Judy replied stubbornly. "I can beat you at Cards any day!"

"Then do it."

Thus, the marathon of games began. The two played all night, from Slither to Cards, to Yaktzee, to Zooggle, to Battlesheep. Nick was a natural winner at board games, his old con artist ways taking over halfway through the night. Judy watched in horror as he won game after game after game, the odds stacked against her as each game concluded. As their marathon continued, more animals present in the coffee shop became intrigued in their bet. It all came down to Jengoat at the end of the night.

Both Judy and Nick were standing on opposite ends of the round table they were using, animals all around watching as the blocks went higher and higher. As Nick removed a particularly tricky block and placed it on the top, the crowd stared in awe, all while Judy muttered about Nick being a "sly fox" under her breath. Once the block was placed, Nick gave Judy a cocky look.

"Let's make this more interesting," she snapped.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Winner of this game wins the bet."

"You willing to take those odds?"

Judy glared at him, resentment in her eyes.

"That's a deal, then," Nick chuckled.

The crowd around them cheered as the game continued, each taking risky moves but pulling them off, their hearts skipping beats as they did so. It came down to a block at the very bottom of the tower, one that was part of the tower's main support, and it was Nick's move. Nick easily removed the block, using his claws to push and wiggle the little piece of wood from its place. Judy could see that it was going to be next to impossible to beat him with how easy his paws worked around the wood. While Nick moved to place the block on the top of the tower, Judy nudged the table's legs with her foot. The tower came crashing down, leaving a shocked Nick in its wake.

"_YES_! You lose! You're mine for the week, Wilde!" Judy shouted in celebration.

Nick smiled up at her as the crowd began to disperse, the coffee shop now nearly empty. He waited until he was sure no one was listening before letting out a slightly devilish chuckle.

"I know you cheated, Carrots."

"No, I-I didn't–"

"It's cool. Payback for the first game, right?" Nick swung his tail back and forth in a teasing way as he grinned at her.

"I'm yours for the week," he stated with a shrug, before walking over to Judy.

Then, with a swift movement, he kissed her lightly, leaving her significantly surprised, her mouth agape. He looked in her amethyst eyes and smiled affectionately.

"Then again, I'm already yours for life, right?"


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm going to go pick up some food. Can I get you anything, Darling?"

"Veggie Meal."

"Gotcha."

Nick swiveled out of his chair and exited his cubicle in the ZPD offices, before grabbing the keys to the SUV that he and Judy had been assigned. He and Judy had spent the day filling out paperwork and taking calls, and frankly, they were beyond bored. Judy didn't really mind a slow workday, because she still felt as if she were making the world a better place, but Nick didn't feel the same. Rather than actually working, he spent the day stacking pens in little pyramids, making sculptures out of paperclips, and covering Judy's cubicle walls in sticky-notes (before she yelled at him, of course). After a while, Nick couldn't bare the silence any longer, letting his hunger take over. He had spun his chair over to Judy's cubicle and began poking her arm until she looked up at him with an expression that could kill.

"I'm hungry," he had whined, making her scrunch her nose in frustration.

"That's not my problem," she had replied.

Thus, beginning a ten-minute argument over whether or not Nick was really hungry or if he was just trying to get out of work. Finally, Judy gave in and Nick was announcing his exit.

Now, he was on his way to their favorite little diner, where if you knew the grizzly bear chef, you were cooked the best individual specialty meal in all of Zootopia. The two usually ordered the same thing each time: a Veggie Meal and a Predator Meal, both perfectly fit to their individual tastes. It was impossible to count how many memories Judy and Nick had made over meals from that diner in the last few months. On the drive over, the traffic was hectic, but that didn't stop Nick; he simply slid his sunglasses over his eyes and turned on the SUV's police sirens, instantly clearing a path. Even being a cop didn't keep Nick from being a hustler. If Judy had been there, she would have given him a look of pure dismay. Well, honestly, if Judy were there, she would have been driving, so the situation would have never occurred. Nick smiled at the thought of her.

Once at the diner, Nick politely greeted the white-tailed doe hostess before making his way past her to the kitchen, where an over-sized grizzly bear waited with his food. At the sight of Nick, a large toothy grin dawned on the bear's face.

"'Ay, Nicky, boy! Got your orda here! How's your gurl doing?"

"Her name is Judy, Griz, and she's good."

"How long's it been now, huh? Since you... well, you know!"

"Three months now," Nick laughed as he slicked back his ears with his paw.

"'Ay, that a boy!"

Nick let his famous smirk settle over his face as he gave a small shrug.

"What can I say?"

Every time the two picked up food from the diner, the massive bear would always ask how things were going in their budding relationship; Griz was a natural gossip. Nick would always try to keep the conversation short and sweet, simply because he enjoyed his relationship with Judy when it only involved Judy. He wasn't afraid to go public with what they had, he just thought it was easier – even better – when it was just the two of them. After three months of dating, the only person who had picked up on the fact that they were involved was Griz, but Nick had a feeling it was only a matter of time before Clawhauser caught on.

With a final nod at the bear, Nick grabbed the bags of food and began making his way out of the diner, weaving his way through the customers who were swarming the place for their lunch hour.

"Thanks, Dawn," Nick said as he smiled and nodded toward the young hostess that he and Judy had come to know over the last few months, as they consistently ate at the diner after work.

"Thanks, Nick. Say 'hi' to Judy for me," she answered.

"Will do," Nick replied as he turned, but not really paying attention to his surroundings, he bumped into the next customers who were waiting to be seated.

"Oh, sorry about that – uh-?"

A zebra in a navy business suit and white tie reached out and shook the fox's paw.

"Jim, Jim Plains," he stated in a deep powerhouse voice.

Nick glanced behind him to get a look at the rest of his group: a hippopotamus, a donkey, and a bank vole, all looking as if life had been good to them.

"Uh, Nick, Nick Wilde. Sorry about that Mr. Plains," Nick stated.

"Oh, not a problem at all Officer Wilde."

Behind the zebra, the bank vole spoke up.

"Wait, _Nicholas_ Wilde?"

"Uh, yes, but I go by Nick–"

"Nick, it's been some time!" the hippopotamus exclaimed, cutting him off.

Nick fixed him with a perplexed look.

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"You don't remember us?" the donkey asked, now piping up.

Nick shook his head slowly, starting to grow suspicious.

"From the Junior Ranger Scouts?" the zebra laughed as he nudged the donkey with a hoof. "I thought he looked familiar!"

Nick froze, unsure of what to do, while the group continued chatting.

… "Look at you, a cop!" … "It's been so long!" … "How have you been, Nick?" … "Hey, remember the muzzle? Those were wild times." …

The world seemed to spin, yet move slowly all at the same time. Nick felt his breathing become shallow and rapid, and he found himself clutching at his chest as he fought for air. The group that had ridiculed him, savagely beat him, made fun of him, and then muzzled him now stood laughing as if the current situation was a reunion of some sort. Nick felt his body folding in on itself as he watched the group converse, not noticing him. Nick dropped the bags of food, their contents spilling on the floor.

"Nick, is everything okay?"

The hostess's voice seemed distant, as if he were dreaming; in a way, he was dreaming, but rather than a dream, this was a nightmare.

"Judy," was all that Nick could say, was all that he could think of.

Without a second thought, Nick was pushing past the group, trying not to slip on the spilt food that now littered the floor. The group, who was finally paying attention to the reaction he was having, attempted to stop him; they called after him in an effort, but he was already racing out of the diner and toward the SUV. He fumbled with his phone as he ran, quickly dialing Judy's number.

"Hello?" Her beautiful voice came over the speakers.

"_Carrots_!"

"Nick? What's wrong?"

Nick had made it to the car, quickly shutting himself inside and locking the doors, his panic attack taking full affect now that he was alone.

"In the diner – scouts – recognized me."

"Nick, Nick, slow down. I can't understand you. Take deep breaths."

Back at the ZPD, Judy was already out in the lobby, motioning at Clawhauser.

"I need a back-up car now, it's an emergency," she whispered to him.

"The Junior Ranger Scouts, Rabbit! They were at the diner! They saw me – they _knew_ me!

"The Scouts from when you were a kid?"

"_Yes_!"

Judy inhaled deeply, not sure what to do. "

Judy? _Judy_?" Nick's panicked voice reached her ears once more.

"Nick, stay there, I'm coming to get you."

"You don't have a car–"

"I've got it handled. Stay on the phone with me. It's going to be okay. I want you to take deep breaths and try to relax. I'll be there soon."

Nick leaned back against his seat and attempted to control his breathing.

"Please hurry, Judy. Just hurry."


	14. Chapter 14

"I just can't believe this is happening…"

"Nick, sit down. You're wearing a path in the floor from all of the pacing you keep doing."

"How can this be happening?" Nick said, talking to himself more than her.

In the simplest of terms, Nick was losing it. However, in his offense, it was justified. Judy had arrived at the diner to find Nick curled in a ball in the driver's seat earlier that day. It had taken almost an hour to calm him down enough to bring him back to his apartment – well their apartment now; Judy had moved in a week prior, simply because it was a waste of money to pay rent on her own apartment when she spent the majority of her time at Nick's place. To most, moving in with one another was a big step in a relationship, but Judy and Nick had practically taken that step naturally over time, as they grew to know one another better. Technically, Judy had moved in weeks before they started dating.

After calming Nick down, Judy had called to ask Clawhauser to inform the Chief that they wouldn't be returning to work, and that someone should be sent to pick up the car she had borrowed to get to Nick. No one had asked her any questions, which she was grateful for.

Ever since they had gotten home, Nick had been pacing, talking, and panicking. Judy let him get his emotions out, but it was beginning to grow late, and Nick was well on his way to working himself up to the point of another panic attack.

"Well, honestly, it was only a matter of time," she stated, answering the question he didn't really ask her. "Did you really think you would never see them again?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, Nick."

Judy sat on his – correction: their – small retro style couch that rested against a beige wall opposite of Nick, who was pacing on the other side of the coffee table that separated them, right in front of a flat screen TV that hung on the wall. The living room conjoined with a small kitchen that was divided by a counter attached to the wall, and if you followed the wooden floors in between the living room and the kitchen, you would find yourself in a hallway that linked to the bathroom and Nick's bedroom. Yes, it was Nick's bedroom; Judy slept on the couch. That's just how they functioned – there really wasn't any explaining it. Takeout food littered the kitchen counter, still uneaten.

"I just can't believe this," Nick sighed as he ran his paw over his face.

The fur on his ears and head were becoming more ruffled each time he did that, and he was doing it a lot. His green button-up Hawaiian shirt was extremely crinkled, giving him a very disheveled appearance.

"Nick, honey, just sit down."

"I don't know what to do!"

"Is there something to do?" Judy asked softly.

Nick stopped mid-pace and looked at Judy with a very offended frown.

"What do you mean 'is there something to do?'"

"Well, you haven't seen them since you were a kid," Judy reasoned. "It took two decades for you to run into them in a diner. What makes you think you're going to see them again, much less anytime soon?"

"They're going to be looking for me!"

"But how do you know that?"

"I-I… I don't," Nick admitted, looking down at his feet as he did so.

"And that bothers you."

A statement, not a question. Nick looked up at Judy, not really sure how to reply. Judy stood and walked over to where he stood, slightly slouched.

"I know you're frustrated," she whispered. "But we're going to figure this out."

She reached up a paw and brushed the side of Nick's face, settling some of the tousled fur. Nick turned his face to immediately avoid her touch.

"There's no _we_ in this."

"What do you mean?" Judy asked as she pulled back, wrapping her paws around herself.

"This is my thing, Carrots."

"You can't be serious. We're a team!" Judy scoffed in an astonished tone.

"Not this time," Nick sighed. "I have to do this on my own."

"What?" Judy asked, still shocked at the conversation's change in tone. "Nick, you don't have to do this on your own."

Nick didn't reply, but rather turned and grabbed the SUV car keys that were lying on the coffee table.

"Where are you going? Nick?"

Judy watched as the fox walked to the door and paused with his paw on the handle. He turned and looked back at her, still frozen in place with her long ears drooping.

"I have to figure this out on my own."

"You're not being rational," Judy stated quickly. 'Let's just sit down and talk about this."

"I've already made up my mind."

"What are you even talking about? Where are you going?"

"To figure things out."

"You can figure them out _here_!" Judy yelled, her temper now rising.

Both could tell that a fight was forming.

Nick and Judy didn't fight often. Granted, they squabbled now and then, but they rarely had fights that escalated. The last time they had really fought was after Judy's incident with a suspect; that fight had ended with Nick walking out. Now here they were all over again, Nick ready to leave once more. A twinge of heartache pained Nick has his thoughts wandered back to that fight before replying.

"No, I can't. Let me just think for a little while."

"Why do you have to leave to think about this? You're staying here, Nick," Judy said firmly.

"I don't want to stay here!" the fox snarled.

An unsettling silence fell over them as the loud growl echoed through the apartment. Judy's eyes stung slightly as she fought back tears. Nick's face fell at the sight of her eyes brimming with tears.

"Carrots, that's not what I meant–"

"No, it is what you meant," Judy corrected, tears streaming down her face now. "Just go."

"Judy… don't cry, I can stay here."

"But you don't want to!"

Judy was on the verge of sobbing now, letting her anger direct her emotions at Nick, her paws clenched in tight fists.

"No, I do–"

"Don't," Judy argued. "How dumb do you think I am?"

Nick shook his head, looking for the words to fix the situation he had caused. Judy let out a dark laugh that was a slight hiccup.

"Oh, right. I forgot. I'm just a dumb bunny."

Nick's ears went flat against his head, tears threatening to spill from his own eyes.

"Hey, Carrots, no–"

"Get out."

"Judy–"

"Actually, you're right," Judy suddenly said, tears staining her face. "I'll go."

"What? No, let's discuss this."

Judy walked toward him with determination, her paw out as she reached for the keys to the SUV.

"Give me the keys," she demanded in a voice thick with emotion.

Nick held them just out of her reach.

"Can we please talk?" he asked.

"We're done talking. Give me the keys, Nick."

At her tone, and the look in her bright amethyst eyes, Nick regrettably handed her the keys to the car.

"At least tell me where you're going," he breathed.

"Work."

With that final word, Judy slammed the door behind her, leaving Nick all alone in his apartment for the first time in months.


	15. Chapter 15

_Beep._

"Hey, Carrots. It's uh, it's me. Call me back when you get the chance."

…

_Beep._

"Hey, me again, just checking in. Call me back."

…

_Beep._

"Hey, uh, it's been a couple of days now and I haven't seen you around at work. Kinda lonely without my partner, you know?"

…

_Beep._

"Hey, me again. Delgato said you're working a case out in Bunnyburrow. That must be nice to be home for a little bit, yeah? Well… call me when you get the chance."

…

_Beep._

So how are Mr. and Mrs. Carrots doing, huh? How about your – what was it again? 275 siblings? How are they? Just wondering."

…

_Beep._

"Look, Rabbit, I'm sorry. Really, I am. _Please_ call me back. I want to talk about this."

Nick disconnected the line and stared at his phone that had remained silent for five days now. No calls, no messages, no emails, no video calls, no voicemails, nothing. Judy had left and hadn't said a word since. Nick had learned that Judy was working a case back in her hometown of Bunnyburrow, but he had no idea what the case was or if she had even made it to Bunnyburrow safely. Despite these facts, he wasn't about to do more than try and contact her over the phone. Nick knew that she needed her space, that she wasn't contacting him for a reason; he chose to believe that she was safe and could handle herself, but that didn't mean it made him feel any better. He had left her about a dozen texts and calls a day since she left, all of which remained cold and lonely as they continued to be unanswered.

_Beep._

"It's been a week. Can't we just talk about this? I need to at least know that you're safe. You know I'm sorry; _please_, _please_, call me back. Carrots, _please_."

…

_Beep._

"Everyone wants to know how you are doing. I keep telling them you're fine, but we both know that I am not even sure of that. J-just call me back – no, actually, you _need _to call me back. You need to call me back like right now, Carrots. This is getting ridiculous, you have me worried sick."

…

_Beep._

"I don't want to fight, you don't want to fight, so why are we acting like we are fighting…I love you, you know that… right?"

Three weeks had gone by and things were falling into a depressed chaos at the ZPD. Judy had left him to work a case, something she had never done before. Nick couldn't help but blame him for her absence. Without Judy, the ZPD just seemed so bland, so boring. Nick stuck to paperwork the majority of the time, refusing to go and take up a case without his partner… if she still was that. At this point, he couldn't even be sure they were still dating.

_Beep._

"Okay, I get the message. You don't want to talk to me, and that's fine, but at least let me know that you're safe?"

…

_Beep._

"I was just thinking about those blueberries your family grows. Did I ever tell you how good they are? Not that you have to bring me back any! I was just thinking about them."

…

_Beep._

Nick sighed and disconnected the call before leaving a voicemail. He was tired of talking to nothing but a machine. Seated on his couch, Nick looked around at the mess their apartment had become. Filthy dishes covered almost every surface, while clothes and blankets were strewn across the floor. To say that he wasn't sleeping or eating well would be an understatement; Nick was an absolute wreck, and he knew it. He hadn't been to the diner, the coffee shop, or any other place that made him think of her too heavily, but it was still difficult. In the simplest of terms, he was depressed, and only Judy could help him.

_Beep._

"So, what's Bunnyburrow like this time of year? I'm sure it's beautiful, but I wouldn't know. Work's crazy. I'm pretty sure everyone there is starting to think that I ate you or something awful… but hey, if you want to let them think that, alright."

…

_Beep._

"I'm not mad, I just want to know you're okay and that you're doing well. You can take care of yourself, I get that, but I still would like you to call me back."

…

_Beep._

"Carrots? At least tell me you're getting these messages…"

On the third day of the fourth week, Nick didn't go into work that day; he didn't even get out of bed. The concern over whether or not Judy was safe was too much to deal with, so staying at home became naturally appealing. Around mid-morning, Nick picked up his phone and dialed Judy's number, listening to each dial tone, knowing that he would hear them all. When it got to the end of the call, and Judy hadn't picked up, Nick sighed as he waited to hear the instructions to leave a voicemail, but they never came. Instead, there was a pause on the other end of the call. Nick sat up, his heart beating rapidly.

"Carrots?"

"_We're sorry, but the voicemail inbox is currently full. Please try again another time,_" the answering machine replied in a robotic voice.

Nick let his phone slide from his ear and drop down onto the mattress next to him, anger steadily rising within. He had been patient for over four weeks; he had called, he had messaged, he had covered for her, but this time, he was done. As the fury began boiling his blood to a point of no return, Nick picked his phone back up off of the bed, his ears pressed flat against his head as he began tapping applications. He opened up the messages he had been sending to Judy for the last few weeks and began typing a new one. She would get this message, whether or not she wanted to.

After four months, five days, three hours, and twenty-two minutes of officially dating, and after ten months, eleven days, seven hours, and fifty-one minutes of being partners and friends, Nick typed out "_we're done_" and sent it.


	16. Chapter 16

"You've got to be kidding me! I'm not going down there!"

"Let me be perfectly clear, Wilde: You. Are. Going."

"And let me be perfectly clear: No."

"Do you want to lose that badge?"

"I've lost so much already, what's the difference this time?" Nick remarked bitterly.

Chief Bogo's expression softened slightly, but he was still maintaining a cold posture as he stood leaning forward, his front two hooves resting on his large mahogany desk.

"Wilde, you can't tell me you don't care."

"That's the problem. I _do _care! Of course, I care! Send anyone else, but not me."

"She hasn't checked up in a while and I need to know that she's okay, and besides, she needs a partner."

"Why am I the only animal for this?"

"You are the only one she'll listen to."

Nick scoffed and slammed himself into one of the two cushioned chairs in front of the Chief's desk.

"Yeah. She listens to me," he muttered darkly.

"I don't know what you and Hopps have going on, and frankly, I don't care, but I do care that one of my best officers hasn't been responding."

"You don't care what we have going on? You seemed interested in what we had going on five months ago when she showed up to work in my shirt," Nick growled.

"Don't overstep, Wilde! I chose to take your word on that subject – don't make me regret it! If you and Hopps have overstepped boundaries, I have chosen to look the other way, but do _not _cost me an officer, Wilde, or you'll see me overstep my boundaries!"

The Chief slammed his hooves against the wood, the sound echoing off of the walls in the small office.

"_Send. Someone. Else_," Nick growled dangerously, his claws scratching the arms of the chair he sat ramrod straight in.

The two locked eyes menacingly, both dead if looks could kill.

It had been two months since Judy had left to work a case in Bunnyburrow, and one month since Nick had sent the text that ended it all. She had only kept in contact with the Chief after she had left, but her contact was minimal, and she had apparently been unresponsive for the last week. Though she had stayed in contact with the Chief, Judy never replied to Nick's message. The Chief was beginning to grow concerned over the bunny's lack of response, while Nick was trying to move on.

The fox had reached a stage of being completely depleted of all of the emotions he had had when she first left him in their – his – apartment. He had grieved; he had been shocked when she left, he had felt the pain and the guilt of losing her, he had become angry, he had been depressed, and he was currently trying to turn his life around while still struggling with his depression. No, he wasn't close to moving on, and he didn't think he ever would move on, but that wasn't what mattered; he just needed to go on with living normally. Now here he was, arguing with the Chief over going down to Bunnyburrow.

Since no contact had been made with Judy over the last week, the Chief was becoming slowly convinced that she was in trouble, that something had happened to her.

Nick, however, knew better.

Judy was safe, he was sure of that. He was sure that she had seen all of the missed calls, all of the voicemails, and all of the messages he had left her, but she had just never responded to Nick. Now, she had just stopped responding to the Chief. Nick didn't think this was because she was in trouble, but rather because she no longer wanted to talk to anyone from Zootopia. Granted, Nick had to admit that this was out of character for Judy, who loved her job at the ZPD and Zootopia in its entirety, but Nick knew that the bunny was safe. He knew because he had called Judy's mother to double check that she was safe a few days earlier. Finding her contact information in Judy's police files, he had first called Bonnie Hopps a few weeks after Judy's exit, when he was feeling the pain and guilt of her loss, and her mother only confirmed it: Judy was safe and comfy in little Bunnyburrow. He had then called Judy's mother every other week just to ensure all was well, to make sure that his girlfriend – that Judy – was safe. He refused to disclose this information to the Chief, though, because that meant admitting that he had lost Judy… and he had lost her. Nick knew it was over, even before he sent that message to her confirming it, and that only twisted the dagger that had already been embedded into his chest.

His emotions mixed when he thought of the situation. He was furious that she had left him when he needed her most, and even though he understood that he was being dependent on her more than usual, he thought she could handle it. He was upset with himself for fighting with her, for saying the things he said. He was upset with her for not talking to him and trying to mend things.

It was official: Nick was grieving the loss of his life mate, the life mate who probably wasn't even giving him a second thought.

Tears stung his eyes as he sat in that cushioned chair in front of his boss, who had only hired him because of Judy. Looking down at his shirt, Nick rubbed a paw over his face as he mulled the situation over.

"Fine. I'll go," he finally murmured.

"Thank you," the Chief stated gruffly. "Bring her back to us, Wilde."

Nick stood and made direct eye contact with the Chief.

"I'll go, but she won't come back, Chief," Nick stated firmly. "I'm going because I have a few things to say to her, not because I'm trying to get her back. That's her decision."

With that, Nick left Chief Bogo with a surreal expression, and set out for Bunnyburrow. After a quick stop home to grab a suitcase and fill it with a few items he would need, Nick left. He didn't want to drive their – his – SUV, so he set out on a course for the Zootopia Monorail Station.

It was a ride that lasted a little over two hours, which wasn't too bad; what was bad was trying to figure out what he was going to say to her once he saw her. What had she told her family? Did they hate him? Did she hate him? Did he hate her? No, he was just… well, he didn't know what he was, but what should he say? Should he talk about the last few weeks, or act like nothing had happened? Should he play the role of a friend, a work partner, or an ex-boyfriend? He was all three… maybe; he still didn't know if they were friends, and their partnership wasn't very strong lately, but they definitely weren't dating. Nick shook his head as he attempted to clear his muddled thoughts.

"Don't think, just go with it," he whispered to himself as he watched the scenery fly by outside of the monorail large windows.

The trip seemed extremely short, and in what seemed like minutes, the monorail was pulling into the Bunnyburrow Monorail Station. The doors slid open, and Nick exited the monorail only to find himself on the platform, which was swarming with smaller animals, mainly bunnies. Nick smirked at the looks he was given by most of the animals there. He hadn't seen the "ugh, a _fox_" look in a while, but he had expected that upon arrival.

Focusing on his mission, Nick moved onward through the station. He knew where he was going; he had been here before. He had met Judy's parents and all 275 of her siblings, who had mauled him as if he were a shiny new toy. He had eaten dinner with them, had stayed in their home, had toured their farm, and now here he was, getting ready to go back in a most unsavory manner.

Ten minutes later, he was standing in front of Judy's home, a large above ground burrow that sat in front of acres of field that was ripe with carrot stems shooting out of the ground. Taking a deep breath, he let his paw knock on the wooden door. Voices could be heard inside as soon as Nick's paw went back down to his side.

"I'll get it!" a soft voice came from inside.

Nick inhaled deeply; that was her, and she was going to answer the door any second now.

Standing straight and putting a smirk on his face, Nick prepared for the show. The door opened swiftly, and there she was, in color washed jeans and a white button-up shirt that had the sleeves rolled up. She was smiling, at first. Nick could tell that she had been excited to open the door, ecstatic to interact with an animal, and then she saw Nick. The look she gave him was hard to describe; it was a mix of shock, chagrin, hostility, fatigue, anxiety, and heartbreak all in one. Nick let his usual smirk rest on his face as he hid his emotions, while watching hers play across her face in a flash.

"Nick," was all that she could say.

Wasn't a question, wasn't a greeting, wasn't an exclamation. It was just "Nick."

Nick nodded, slightly awkward, as he was not really sure how to officially greet her. Calling her by her first name seemed too formal, but calling her by any of the nicknames that he had previously called her by felt completely inappropriate in the current situation. They stood in silence for a moment, listening to the breeze shake the trees surrounding the burrow.

"Let's talk," she commanded, her anger overcoming her other emotions instantly.

Nick's eyebrows rose slightly at her tone, but he wasn't shocked, he was well prepared for this. He could easily play this game of "we're mad, but we aren't going to address it until we are in a place where we can yell at one another at full volume."

"Yes," he replied at ease. "Let's."


	17. Chapter 17

"'We're done?' What does that even mean, Nick?"

Without any words, Judy had closed the front door of her home and walked out to the middle of one of the carrot fields behind the burrow with Nick following behind. Seconds had passed before she had wheeled on him and started yelling, and it didn't take long for them to both be at full volume, in each other's faces, and saying everything that passed through their minds. It quickly became one of the worst fights the pair would ever have.

"Oh, I think you know exactly what it means, considering you said it with your actions," Nick shot back

"I needed time!"

Nick's jaw dropped in complete shock, and Judy crossed her arms indignantly at the fox.

"For_ two months?_ Do you have _any _idea what you put me through?" Nick shouted.

"Do you have any idea what you put _me _through?"

"Actually, no, because I didn't put you through anything compared to what you pulled on me!"

"That's not fair–" Judy began, but Nick held his paws up to stop her.

"'_Not fair_?'" he yelled. "'_Not fair_?' Don't even start, Judy!"

"You told me that you didn't want to try and work through things!"

"I was having a panic attack, Judy! I wasn't really thinking rationally! I needed time to breathe!"

"Well, so did I!" she retorted.

"I didn't leave for two months and end our relationship!"

"_You _ended our relationship, Nick!" Judy stated haughtily.

"After you ignored me for weeks! And what the hell was that, by the way? You had me worried sick!"

"I didn't ignore you, I just told you that I needed time!"

"From what? Huh? From what, Judy? From me?" Nick challenged as he gestured wildly at himself before shaking his head angrily. "No, it couldn't have been from me because I was trying to get space too. So, what did you need space from? The apartment? Your job? How about your _life_?"

Nick could hear Judy grinding her teeth in the back of her mouth.

"I just needed space, okay? Quit acting like you're the victim here! You run into some animals from your childhood and then you left me!" she screamed back at him.

Nick's voice dropped to a hiss as his ears glued down against his head.

"_Oh_, do _not_ go there, Rabbit, because if you play that game, you will_ lose_!"

"You know I'm right! You're being emotional!"

"You better check yourself, Bunny!"

Nick took two steps forward, now right in Judy's face, their personal "bubbles" becoming one.

"What are you going to do, Nick, attack me?" she spat back at him.

Nick clamped his jaw shut as he swallowed the first words that came to mind.

"The thought that you think I would proves how broken we were to begin with," he finally hissed back.

"Oh no, don't you put this on me!" Judy yelled. "'We' were not broken, it was _you_!"

"Of course, it was! It's _always_ me!" Nick said with a hollow laugh as threw his paws in the air and turned away from her, now putting distance between them.

Judy laughed darkly.

"_You're playing the victim right now_!" she screamed.

"Oh, _I'm _the victim, what about _you_?" Nick asked as he rounded on her again. "Let's talk about how you _purposely_ ignored me when you were feeling bad, just because you knew I'd worry about you until you told me you were safe! That's called fishing for pity!"

Judy let an audible gasp escape her lips.

"I do not 'fish for pity!"

"Oh, yeah you do, Carrots!" Nick stated with a nod of his head, his eyebrows raised.

"Don't call me that!"

"Oh, right! I completely forgot that you aren't my _life mate _anymore so I can't call you that!" Nick exclaimed.

Judy stopped and looked at him, silence falling between them for the first time in minutes.

"What?" she whispered.

Nick had begun pacing up and down the row of carrots that they had been arguing in, but he now stopped and looked at her. They were only a few inches apart.

"What did you just say?" Judy asked softly.

Nick shrugged his shoulders in an uncommitted reply; he had said a lot of things in the last few minutes.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Judy, just tell me."

"You called me your life mate…"

Nick felt his body tense. He hadn't meant to say that out loud, not now, not any time soon. Nick never had blatantly stated that they were life mates before, even though he had glossed over it in conversation, simply because it was a serious ordeal, especially to a fox.

"I-I didn't mean to, sorry," Nick replied bitterly. "And why do you even care? Not like we are even partners, much less anything more than that."

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have–"

"Would have what?" Nick asked dejectedly. "You would have stayed? You would have cared? You wouldn't have acted like this? What is it you would have done?"

"I–"

"Oh, please," Nick interrupted. "You wouldn't have done a thing. You would have still left me. You would have still put me through hell. You would have still made me feel less than I am."

"I would have tried!" Judy suddenly screamed back, tears forming in her eyes.

"You aren't even trying now!" Nick yelled back, his paws clenched into fists and his chest heaving.

"I am! I am trying now!"

"Prove it then!" he challenged.

She kissed him.

It was sudden and it took Nick aback, but he let her. Knowing he shouldn't, he let himself melt into her kiss, returning it with just as much effort, and he didn't know why he let himself do it. Before, Nick had started to resent her for what she had done to him, but now, he couldn't help but be paralyzed at her touch. A few seconds of bliss passed before Judy broke the kiss. Leaning back slightly, she looked up at Nick, tears still threatening to spill from her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, I d-didn't mean to–" she fumbled.

Nick grabbed the bunny and pressed his lips to hers again, silencing her before breaking the second kiss himself.

"It's okay," he whispered to her.

"Do you really think I fish for pity?" she asked, her voice and expression soft with desperation underlying her tone.

Nick looked at her, astonished that they had been yelling at the top of their lungs a moment before and now they were holding each other and just talking.

"No, I don't… I didn't mean that, I was just mad…"

Judy burst into tears, making Nick's eyes widen in immediate surprise; the emotional rollercoaster had him hanging on for dear life.

"I'm sorry!" she bawled, her ears drooping down. "I-I shouldn't have left and I s-shouldn't have said those t-things! I'm just a h-horrible life mate!"

Nick's heart fell in his chest at the sight of the sobbing rabbit.

"Judy, no, that's not what–"

"Please don't call me J-Judy!" she sobbed harder, tearing streaming down her cheeks freely. "I j-just want you to call me Carrots and e-everything to be o-okay!"

Nick couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

"And you called me emotional," he smirked.

Judy sniffled and gave a grim smile as she attempted to wipe the tears from her face.

"You probably hate me," she stated thickly.

Nick's expression hardened as he thought of how to best respond. Taking a small step back, Nick brought his paws up to Judy's face, holding her gently.

"Look, Ju-Carrots, we aren't going to pretend like this didn't happen, because this definitely happened. You just left me…" Nick paused, struggling with the right words. "I just… I don't understand why you would do that to me."

"I was wrong, I shouldn't have left. I'm so sorry–"

"Why did you leave?" Nick asked.

"What?"

"You keep apologizing for leaving but I want to know why you left in the first place. Why didn't you return my calls or my messages? Why didn't you come back?"

"Return your calls or messages?" Judy asked, confused. "I left my phone in Zootopia, Nick."

"Stop messing with me, Rabbit," Nick said with a frustrated shake of his head. "I know you took your phone."

"No, Nick, I didn't. I left it in your apartment, in the couch. You know I have a habit of sliding it under the cushions when I sleep."

"But you just asked me what 'we're done' meant a minute ago."

"Well, that's what you wrote in the letter!"

"Letter?"

"You sent me a letter a month ago, remember?"

"I never sent you a letter."

Nick and Judy stared at one another as they realized that they hadn't been talking to each other at all. Nick's jaw fell open slightly as the puzzle pieces fell into place.

"You're working a case, right? The Chief told me to come and check on you; he said he hasn't heard from you in a week."

"I've had to keep in touch using my parents' phones, but it's hard when they're so busy. I was going to try and call him today."

"And you couldn't have called me?" Nick asked with a raise of his eyebrows.

"I was trying to bury myself in my work," Judy stated apologetically. "Mom said she had spoken to you."

"Why were you out here for so long?" Nick asked as he tried to remember the events of the last night the two had seen each other. "You just took some random case and took off?"

"This wasn't a random case, Nick," Judy reasoned. "I was telling you about this case a few weeks ago. The crops that were stolen a few months ago, remember? The case opened up to be bigger than I thought. There are over ten animals having their crops stolen on a regular basis."

Nick inhaled deeply at her words.

"We have been completely backwards the entire time."

"What do you mean?" Judy inquired, her amethyst eyes wide as she remained completely confused on what was going on.

"I forgot about this case. I thought you chose some random case in Bunnyburrow to get away from me. Then you never returned my calls or my texts, so I assumed you were ignoring me, but your phone was sitting in the couch the entire time."

Nick could see the realization in Judy's face, and could sense the gears in her brain start turning.

"Wait, so that letter I got-?"

"It wasn't from me, Carrots. Someone is messing with us."

"Wait, then how did you know that we were done if you didn't know I got that letter?"

"I sent you a text message saying the same thing, and the only way someone could have known what I had sent you is if they had your phone, and I never heard it go off when I was calling you, which means–"

"My phone isn't in the couch," Judy breathed.

"Someone has been in our apartment."


	18. Chapter 18

"Oh, put that thing away, Nick!"

"No!"

"You lived in this apartment for two months after I left and now you want to go in with your gun pulled? Are you crazy?"

"What if someone is in there?"

"Why would anyone be in there?"

Nick and Judy sat crouched outside of their apartment, their voices in hushed whispers. Nick had his tranquilizer gun in his paws, his foot ready to kick down the door. Judy had stopped him immediately.

"They might have known I was going to Bunnyburrow and decided to drop by! What happened to thinking like a cop?"

"Oh, I doubt it, and don't question me as a cop – will you _please_ get your foot off of the door? You are going to get paw prints all over it!"

"I'm getting ready to make an entrance, Rabbit!"

"You are not kicking down the front door, Nick!"

With that, Nick dropped his foot from the door and pouted, looking right at Judy, who had her arms crossed in a way that said she wasn't playing games. With a very smug attitude, Judy removed her key to the apartment from her pocket, waved it teasingly in front of Nick, and then slid it into the lock of the door.

"Foxes, always in it for the show," Judy muttered, before chuckling after noticing Nick's eyebrows rise at her comment.

Slowly, she unlocked the door and quietly nudged it open, peering inside the dark apartment. Her paws immediately fell to her sides, her ears instantly laying down flat.

"Oh, sweet cheese and crackers."

"What? Carrots, what is it? Is there someone in there?" Nick asked, prepared to take aim, holding the gun up as he waited for Judy's response.

Judy shot him a sideways glare and then stood, throwing the door open and flicking on the lights in one move.

"The apartment is a _mess_!" she yelled.

Nick cringed and attempted to slink away, but Judy caught him by the collar of his shirt.

"Nick, what did you do? This place looks like a stampede went through here!"

"I was busy…?"

It was more of a question than an answer, as if he were trying to convince himself as well as her. Judy's cheeks puffed slightly, trying to control her rage. She released Nick's collar and walked into the apartment, stopping once she was a few feet in and could see the extent of the mess. Her paws went to her waist, her foot thumping rapidly against the wooden floor. Nick stood and fixed his shirt slightly and cleared his throat awkwardly; he didn't really need a lecture from her about cleanliness.

"Uh, let's start looking for signs of a break-in."

"That'll be easy to do with all of _this_."

Judy picked up one of the filthy dishes that Nick hadn't touched since he'd used it (which must have been weeks ago) off of the coffee table and gestured with it before setting it back down. Nick stuck his tongue out at her, before turning his attention back to the details of the "scene." He began to inspect the couch, knowing that that was the best place to check at the moment.

"Nick?"

"Find something?"

"No, I have a question."

"Is it about why the place is a mess, because if so, I'm not answering."

"No, it's not."

Judy didn't make a noise – much less laugh – at his joke, which made him turn his attention toward her to see what the problem was. She was holding one of Nick's discarded Hawaiian shirts that had been lying on the edge of the couch, but she was holding it in a funny way; it looked like she was cuddling the fabric. Her eyes were slightly glossed over as if she could cry at any moment.

"Okay, what's your question?" Nick asked, his tone light and gentle as he could see something was clearly bothering her.

"Did you really want to… you know… be done?"

"Carrots, that was one big misunderstanding."

"Yes, but did you mean it? Do you still mean it?"

Her sulky voice carried across the room in a volume just above a whisper. Nick stared at her from where he was crouching on the floor in front of the couch, before standing and walking to her, carefully bringing her into his arms.

"If I meant it, I wouldn't have let you attack me with your mouth in that field… and I certainly wouldn't have taken that three-hour-yelling from your parents…"

"It wasn't a three-hour-yelling! It was ten minutes, and it was a lecture."

"Right, same difference."

Judy playfully slapped his chest, making Nick chuckle slightly.

"I'm still sorry, Nick," she said.

"Don't be, we've been through worse."

"I don't know, this was pretty bad…"

"But we'll get through it."

Nick then hugged Judy closely, feeling her arms wrap around him and hug him back. Then, with a small kiss on the top of her head, Nick released her and looked into her bright eyes.

"We are going to figure this out, Carrots, and it will take time, but we'll do it, okay?"

Judy nodded in reply, a small smile on her face. With a final look of reassurance, Nick went back to the couch. He turned on his phone's flashlight and began sweeping the light over the couch as he lifted the cushions one at a time.

"Well, I don't really see any – wait."

Nick extended a paw and reached toward the back of the couch. Pulling his paw back, Judy saw that he was holding a piece of fur that was reddish-brown.

"It looks like it came from a red panda, or a mouse, maybe?" Judy reasoned aloud.

"Or a bank vole," Nick growled.

Nick looked up at Judy, anger flashing in his eyes.

"It was them," he hissed.

Judy's face fell, as well as her ears. She had thought that Nick was managing this whole "running-into-past-bullies" thing by now, but she could tell that things had only gotten worse. Guilt flooded through her as she realized that she had not only left Nick, but she had left him at the worse time possible. Judy walked closer and crouched down to where Nick was bent in front of the couch.

"Nick… I don't think it was–"

"Well it doesn't matter what we _think_, because we are getting ready to _know_."


	19. Chapter 19

"Nick, wait!"

The glass doors slammed open to the diner as Nick pushed them open with a force that seemed impossible for him. Judy was close behind, having to slide in between the closing doors as she tried to keep up with the fox that was currently fueled with rage. Everyone in the diner jumped in surprise, some dropped their silverware, some froze, some gave disapproving looks. Dawn, the young white-tailed doe hostess, dropped the stack of menus she had been carrying and froze, and the otter family she had been escorting to their seats huddled together in fear of the fox.

"Nick, what's going on–?" the doe began.

"Who were those animals, Dawn?"

"What animals–?"

"They're regulars here, aren't they? Who are they?" Nick growled at the doe.

Judy stepped in, putting herself between the two. She placed a paw on Nick's chest to let him know that she would stop him if things became too aggressive, even though she knew Nick would never take things that far.

"Nick, she doesn't know who you are talking about. There are dozens of animals in here every hour!"

"Who are they?" the fox asked again, ignoring the bunny in front of him.

Judy felt the growl in his chest with her paw; it frightened her slightly, but she held her ground.

"Judy, what's going on?" Dawn asked in petrified voice.

"Dawn, there's a group of animals that may come here often. It's a zebra, a bank vole, a donkey, and a hippo, I think."

Judy felt another growl vibrate through Nick's chest.

"We need to know their names. Now."

Dawn nodded her head quickly before stumbling over her hooves to the wooden podium that welcomed customers when they first entered the diner. A large red book filled with every customer's name and possible contact information sat upon the wood. Both Dawn and Judy knew that there was no guarantee that the names Nick was looking for would be in that book, but it was the only thing they had at the moment.

Dawn began flipping through the book's pages, her hooves shaking to the point that she fumbled a few times.

"I-I don't see them in h-here," Dawn stuttered.

Nick let out a vicious snarl. Judy knew his reaction wasn't directed at Dawn or because of her, but rather because they had hit a dead end. Gesturing at Dawn, hoping that she wouldn't hate Nick later, Judy let her know to continue working and escort the otter family to a booth. Dawn didn't hesitate and the group was gone moments later.

Judy turned to Nick, both of her paws now on his chest, restraining him more securely.

"Look, we can go to the ZPD, we can try to find some files there," she stated calmly.

"That'll take too long."

Nick was shaking from anger, his paws balled in tight fists by his sides. Much to Judy's horror, Nick's teeth were slightly bared, glinting in the evening light that was streaming through the windows of the diner.

"No, it won't, we just need any of their names and we can figure this out."

Nick suddenly went still, his eyebrows raised and his eyes staring off into oblivion as he remembered how this entire situation originally came about.

"Plains. Jim Plains. His name is Jim freaking Plains."

With that, he was gone, racing out of the diner's doors and down the sidewalk to their SUV.

"What? Nick!"

Judy ran after the fox once again, barely making it into the passenger's seat of the car before Nick reversed, changed gears, and then slammed his foot against the accelerant.

"Nick, where are we going?" Judy exclaimed in surprise.

"The suits, Carrots!"

"What–?"

"They were all wearing suits that day, and the zebra introduced himself to me – Jim Plains. From what I saw that day – how they acted – they work at the same place."

"How can you make that assumption?"

"They were acting as if they see each other every day, not like it had been years since they had seen one another. They have to work together! And if they were eating at the diner, and still live somewhat near the area we did when we were kids, then I know exactly where they work."

"Wow," Judy murmured, taking a moment to catch her breath. "That was quite some detective work, Nick."

"I'm a con artist, Carrots," Nick chuckled.

"_Were_ a con artist," Judy corrected.

Nick shot her a sideways glance, a nervous appearance falling over his character. Judy's eyes narrowed.

"Nick? You _were_ a con artist, right?"

"Uh, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Nick!"

"Oh, look! We're here!"

Nick slammed on the brakes, threw the car in park, and jumped out in one fluent motion. Judy was still sitting in her seat, completely flabbergasted.

"Nicholas Wilde, we are not done talking!"

"We can talk about it when I get back! Stay there!" he called back over his shoulder.

Judy huffed, astonished at the thought of waiting in the car. Without a second thought, she hopped out of the car and followed Nick into a large skyscraper that was entirely made up of glass and steel.

The lobby was absolutely beautiful; a large crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, black velvet pieces of furniture were placed in elegant patterns around various silver-painted coffee tables, and a massive mahogany reception desk sat against the far wall that featured a cascading waterfall. Nick was already at the reception desk, a smug look playing across his face as he flirted with the snow leopard receptionist. Judy scowled as she saw the show he was putting on for her. One minute he was a predator threatening an entire diner, the next he was a player tugging at everyone's heartstrings. She made her way up to the desk, her ears tuned to listen to every word being exchanged.

"Oh, really? That is so fascinating!" the leopard giggled, a blush spreading across her face.

"Yeah," Nick shrugged lazily. "Being a private detective is quite the job."

Judy's jaw dropped, momentarily astounded at how thick he was acting. However, a devilish look slowly spread across her face as she realized how much fun this was about to be. Putting on a face of false surprise, she spoke, her voice ringing out in a sickly-sweet tone.

"Private Detective Wilde, what a surprise!" she called.

Judy noticed how Nick's shoulders tensed before he turned around, a look of horror flashing in his eyes.

"Ah, J-Judy, how good it is to see you too! I wasn't expecting you to be_ here_."

Judy heard the stress in the last word and smirked at him.

"Who's this?" the leopard asked Nick with a jealous tone.

"Oh, me?" Judy cut in.

The big cat looked at her, a resentful look in her bright blue eyes.

"I'm just his wife! Judy Hopps, very nice to meet you."

Nick's ears quickly fell flat at the word "wife;" surely she wasn't going to go there.

Oh, but she did.

"I was just coming here to meet with Mr. Plains. He's an old friend of ours, and I thought that we should tell him we are _expecting_."

The leopard's eyes widened slightly at the sudden change in the atmosphere. From what she could tell, she had just flirted with a husband and father-to-be, and her sudden uncomfortable posture gave that away.

"O-oh, of course. I'll let him know you're on your way up," she replied politely.

"Oh, can we keep it a surprise?" Judy quickly amended with a sweet smile. "I would greatly appreciate it."

Nick could only look on in absolute horror as the bunny worked the receptionist.

"Oh, yes. He's on the fifth floor, head office. Uh, congratulations," the leopard said as she faked a smile.

Judy thanked her and then turned to Nick, taking his paw gently.

"Come on, Honey, let's go tell Jim the big news."

Judy continued to act as a sweet "pregnant wife" as she dragged her "husband" to the elevator. She even gave a small wave to the receptionist before the sliding metal doors closed, all for good measure. Once the doors had shut, she fixed Nick with a deadly gaze.

"Private detective, huh?"

"Pregnant wife? Seriously?"

Nick's face looked empty, as if he had lost all of his color. Judy couldn't help but laugh.

"That was good, and you know it," she giggled.

"No, it wasn't!"

"What, were you worried there for a second?"

Nick swallowed loudly, and Judy suddenly went silent.

"Uh, anyway," she said, trying to usher the conversation onward. "I got us in."

"Yeah. Good work."

"Yep."

An awkward silence fell between the two as the elevator passed the third floor. They both stood still, staring at the doors in front of them.

"Uhm, what I said back there, about being your pregnant wife…" Judy muttered. "I was just messing around, you know?"

"Yeah."

"It's not like we would…"

"Right."

"I mean, unless we… uh, never mind."

Nick glanced at Judy before turning his attention back to the doors of the elevator.

"Unless we what?" he asked curiously.

Judy's face flushed a dark shade of pink.

"Unless w-we decided to do _that_…" she answered lamely.

This time, it was Nick's face that blushed violently.

"W-would we decide t-that?" he asked.

"I don't know."

Silence descended once more, the quiet humming of the elevator filling the void.

"Well," Nick cleared his throat. "I would."

Judy's head shot up, looking directly at Nick, who was standing with his paws in his pockets, a smile on his face.

"Wait, you would–?"

Just then, they were interrupted by the elevator coming to a halt and the doors sliding open to reveal a bank vole, a hippopotamus, a donkey, and a zebra all laughing and chatting as they waited for the elevator.

All six fell silent at the sight of one another.


	20. Chapter 20

A low growl escaped Nick's throat as the six stood before one another, all showing mixed expressions.

"Mr. Plains," Judy began as she stepped forward, removing her police badge from her belt and holding it out to show the zebra as she did so. "We'd like to talk to you and your pals."

"What is this about?" the zebra replied in a concerned voice.

"Can we talk somewhere privately?"

"Of course, right this way."

Mr. Plains led the group to a nearby conference room that was unoccupied. The room was massive, but a large conference table that could easily seat sixteen took up the majority of the space. Mr. Plains sat at the lone chair that was located at the head of the table, as the others filed in around him. Judy and Nick remained standing, Judy casually meandering around the table, Nick slumped moodily against the wall by the door.

"We just had a few questions, Mr. Plains. It shouldn't take long," Judy stated.

"Sure, go ahead."

Judy stopped and looked at Nick, who was still leaning against the wall, his arms crossed as he assessed the group.

"Nick, after you," she stated politely.

Nick's ears rose slightly in surprise; why was she letting him ask the questions when she had seen how sensitive he was to all of this? Nick stood and made his way to the end of the table, his body at ease.

"Well, _Jim_, we seem to have recently found ourselves in a predicament."

Nick placed one paw on the back of Mr. Plains's chair, the other on the edge of the table so that he was easily within the zebra's personal space, already making him uncomfortable. The zebra cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.

"We do?"

"Oh, ha," Nick chuckled lightly. "Not you. My partner and I have a predicament."

"And what would that be, Officer?"

"Officer?" Nick smirked. "Oh, Jim, we both know that you – and the rest of your buddies, for that matter – know who I am."

"Then what is the problem, Nick?"

The zebra remained calm and patient, but it was clear that he was growing increasingly flustered by Nick's interrogation games. Judy stood nearby with her arms folded over her chest, ready to intervene if the situation called for it.

"It's quite funny, Jim. You see that bunny over there?" Nick gestured a paw into Judy's direction. "That's my life mate."

All four seated animals tensed immediately, and Judy felt her ears stiffen.

"A-an interspecies relationship," the bank vole whispered in horror.

Nick immediately turned on him.

"But you already knew that, didn't you? You know, since you've got her phone and all."

The bank vole's eyes widened.

"I-I don't k-know what you're talking about!" he squeaked as he fumbled over his words.

Nick nodded and then reached into his pocket, removing his phone. He then waved it in the air, high enough for everyone to see, before he clicked away on it. To the bank vole's absolute dread, the sound of a phone ringing then filled the silent conference room.

"Gotcha," Nick growled through gritted teeth.

The zebra stood swiftly, his chair swiveling away from the sudden impact.

"Now what is this all about, Nick?"

Nick turned to Mr. Plains, who was clearly trying to pass his anxiety off as confusion and aggravation, and fixed him with a lazy stare.

"When were you in my apartment, Jim?"

"Excuse me–?"

"When. Were. You. In. My. Apartment?" Nick growled menacingly.

"I have never been in your home–"

"Quit the games, Jim, we both know that you were in my apartment. The rodent's got my partner's phone in his pocket for God's sake! Now, I don't care if it was one of you or all four of you, I want to know why you were in my apartment and how you got in there."

All four of the animals remained silent, anxious expressions showing on all of their faces. They glanced at each other a few times as if they could come up with an escape plan through eye contact, but no other movements were made. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Plains cleared his throat.

"I'd like to see my lawyer."

Nick almost lost it then, his anger quickly rising at the "L-word," but he managed to remain levelheaded until he had exited the room. Judy was the one who read the four animals their rights, and then called for back-up to have the group taken down to the ZPD for questioning. After back-up had arrived and the animals had been escorted away (much to their displeasure), Judy went looking for Nick. She found him in their SUV.

"You okay?"

Nick didn't reply. Rather, he gave her a look that seemed to read "seriously?" Judy looked down at the cushioned seats of the car before attempting a conversation again.

"Look, it's going to be okay. We've got them."

"Yeah, lawyer and all."

"That won't get them very far."

Nick scoffed and Judy sighed.

"You're being overdramatic," Judy muttered.

"Says the bunny who just disappeared."

"That was for a case," Judy shot back before pausing to take a deep breath. "I don't want to fight. I'm just trying to help."

Nick remained silent, but she knew that he was aware of how important she was. Yes, they had both made mistakes. Yes, they had overreacted, and they were continuing to overreact. However, Judy and Nick had been through a lot, and they would always need each other.

The drive back to their apartment was quiet, but not necessarily awkward. Once home, Nick went to the bathroom and took a shower, while Judy plugged her phone into its charger, slid it under one of the couch cushions, and flicked on the television. The night went by somewhat slowly as the couple went about their usual nighttime routine. Nick showered, changed into a more comfortable outfit, and grabbed something small to eat out of the fridge. Judy laid out her outfit for the next day, made herself a small meal that consisted entirely of vegetables, washed her face, made her little bed on the couch, and set her alarm for the following morning.

"Night, Carrots," Nick said as he made his way back to his room.

"Night, Nick."


	21. Chapter 21

Judy couldn't sleep, and she knew it as soon as Nick left for his room. Too much was on her mind, making her toss and turn rather than sleep peacefully. Was Nick mad at her? If so, how long would he be mad for? How mad was he, exactly? The usual large couch cushions that comforted her after long workdays now felt stiff and ragged.

She watched the seconds tick by on the clock hanging on the living room wall and felt as if each second were taking an eternity to pass. With a sigh, she left the couch and made her way down the hallway to Nick's room. At the door, she stopped, unsure if what she was doing was wise. If she couldn't sleep, why would she wake him up just for her? With a deep breath and a few conflicted thoughts, she knocked on the closed door.

Nick wasn't wearing a shirt, just a pair of black sweatpants, making Judy blush slightly. He looked amused to see her, leaning against the door frame lazily as if he didn't want to be anywhere else.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you–" Judy murmured.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Me either."

Nick's body was still being supported by the door frame, but he was leaning in toward Judy now. His whole posture was very relaxed, while Judy's was quite the opposite. A light pink shade still present in her cheeks, Judy stood nervously shuffling her feet with both of her paws glued to her sides. The entire situation felt very much like Judy's first night in Nick's apartment after she had moved in, and in a way, it was; this was Judy's first night back in the apartment after months of being absent.

"Carrots? You need something?" Nick spoke up, interrupting Judy's thoughts.

"Oh! Uh… not really, I just couldn't sleep…but, I do want to say sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"You know… for leaving like I did and for as long as I did."

"Don't be sorry, I should be sorry for not believing in you."

"You shouldn't be sorry either, though. This was all just one big misunderstanding."

"This was one _huge_ misunderstanding," Nick chuckled.

"Agreed."

"But, hey, things happen. We'll figure it out."

"Yeah… well, I should probably get to bed."

"Leaving so soon?"

Judy blushed deeper this time.

"I'm just going out into the living room," she offered lamely.

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

Judy turned and began making her way down the hallway, but only made it about halfway before she felt Nick's paw on her arm.

"Carrots? I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"And you do know that I love you, right?"

"Of course," Judy smiled. "I love you, too."

With a small smile, Nick nodded and went back to his room, where he stood and watched Judy disappear around the corner at the end of the hallway. Something inside him told him to go talk to her, to say more, but what more was there to say?

"Well, I don't necessarily have to say anything," Nick thought, still lingering at the entrance to his room.

"Carrots?" he called out. In just a few seconds, she was standing at the end of the hall, a paw rested on one wall. The dim light of Nick's room outlined her figure perfectly, making Nick clamp his jaw shut as he tried to contain himself.

"Yeah?" she called back.

"Uh…" Nick began, unsure of what to say.

With a puzzled expression, Judy tilted her head to the side slightly, her ears flopping over in one swift motion.

"God, you're irresistible," Nick mumbled.

It was all Nick could say, but it got his point across.

"What? Did you just say I'm–" Judy laughed nervously.

"Oh, screw it," Nick growled.

He took four long strides, and within moments, he was right in front of Judy. She gasped at how quickly he had come at her, but he silenced the gasp with his own lips quickly pressed against hers. Sweeping her up in one fluent motion, Nick rested her on the side of the couch. He felt her arms wrap around his neck as his kisses moved down the side of her face to her neck and then to her collarbone.

"Sorry… couldn't make it… through all of the flirty stuff…" Nick muttered in between light kisses.

Judy smiled, holding him tightly as she breathed in deeply with each kiss. With a small growl, Nick lifted Judy again, this time over his shoulder. Judy squealed out as he carried her to his bedroom, secretly hoping they wouldn't wake too many of their neighbors.

Unfortunately, Nick and Judy most likely woke the entire street that night.

Once to the room, Nick kicked the door shut with a loud snap.


	22. Chapter 22

The following morning, the fox and the bunny were abruptly awoken by a pounding at their apartment door. Judy was the first to stumble up from bed and answer the door; she could hear Nick muttering things under his breath as he was making his way down the hall. After unlocking the door and pulling it open quickly, she was somewhat surprised to see Chief Bogo. That feeling of surprise was quickly replaced by a feeling of worry.

"Chief? What's going on?" Judy asked as she noticed the three large officers who were accompanying the Chief.

"Where's Wilde?" the cape buffalo asked gruffly.

"I'm right here. What's going on?" Nick asked as he came into view at the door, his paw resting lazily on the doorframe.

"Officer Wilde, we're going to need you to come with us," one of the three officers, a polar bear, stated.

"What for?" Nick asked.

"Wilde, don't make this difficult," the Chief snapped.

"What?" Nick asked again, giving them all a bewildered look, while Judy stood in silence.

The Chief sighed as he nodded at the officers. The officer who had just spoken to Nick stepped forward.

"Nicholas Wilde, you are under arrest for assaulting Jim Plains at approximately 2:00 PM yesterday afternoon."

Judy gasped suddenly, putting her paws over her mouth.

"No, no, no," Nick shook his head. "What is going on?"

The officer continued as he removed a pair of handcuffs from his belt and began to turn Nick around.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish."

Nick pulled his paws away from the polar bear, an immediate resisting of arrest. The Chief reached out and gently pulled Judy out into the hallway, away from the commotion. At the resist, all three officers began to retrain Nick, who began shouting.

"Chief, they can't do this! Nick did not assault Plains, he was arrested!" Judy cried as she watched in horror.

The Chief opened his mouth to respond, but then the unthinkable happened. In an instant, the situation escalated to a very violent level: one of the other two officers pulled out a muzzle from his belt. Everything seemed to slow down as Judy reached out, ready to grab Nick, but was restrained by the Chief. A look of pure fear flickered over Nick's face as he caught sight of the metal contraption, and before he had time to react, the muzzle was forced over his face. The look in Nick's eyes was enough to make Judy's heart break. She fought in vain against the massive cape buffalo, watching Nick's eyes widen as the muzzle was secured. She heard his breathing turn rapid, saw his whole body begin to shake, saw the fear become a permanent part of his face.

"Take it off! _Take it off of him_!" Judy screamed.

They didn't.

Once the muzzle was secure, they locked the handcuffs over Nick's paws, his arms held behind his back. Nick was hyperventilating, unable to say a word with the metal mask restraining his jaws.

"Nick, it's okay! I'm right here, okay? I am right here! _Please _take it off!" she continued to yell at the officers.

Judy fought against the Chief's harsh violently, and from the look in his eye, he wasn't enjoying a moment of it, but it was part of the job.

"Hopps, settle down," he stated in a gentle, yet firm, tone.

"Nick, it's okay. Look at me. Look at me, Nick. _Breathe_. You're going to be fine. I'm not going to let them hurt you, okay? Try and stay calm. Just breathe."

Judy saw Nick attempt to take deep breaths, but the more he tried to breathe, the more he felt the strangling of the metal.

"Please, take it off!" Judy pleaded as the officers began moving Nick out of the apartment. "You're hurting him! He can't even breathe for God's sake!"

Judy looked up at the Chief.

"Tell them!"

The Chief looked up at the officers, and with pain and guilt in his expression, he nodded at them. With the signal, the three officers moved Nick past Judy and took him down to the patrol car that was parked outside.

"_No_!" Judy yelled after them. "Nick! Just breathe! It's going to be okay!"

Once the four had departed, the Chief tried to reason with Judy.

"Hopps. Hopps, listen to me."

"No! They took Nick! He can't have a muzzle on! He panics!"

"Hopps, he was resisting arrest, and he's an officer."

"He was resisting arrest because he didn't do anything!"

"He assaulted an animal who is very high up in the corporate chain."

"Oh, Nick didn't touch him!" Judy shot back.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I was there! Nick didn't lay a paw on that jerk!"

"Why were you two there?"

"Plains and his buddies were in our apartment."

"And you didn't file a report?" The Chief's voice rose slightly as he began to understand the severity of the case.

"No," Judy fumbled. "Well, I was going to. I was a bit busy!"

"Too busy to file a report on a case that you were not legally allowed to handle due to subject of interest?" the Chief snapped.

"Yes, I was!" Judy yelled back.

"With what were you so busy with, Hopps?"

Judy finally stopped fighting him and looked right into his eyes.

"They knew Nick as a kid," she quickly went on. "They forced a muzzle on him and bullied him. Now, let me go so that I can make sure that my partner – who you just muzzled – is okay."

The Chief stared back at her with an expressionless face, and then after a moment of thought, he released her.

"Fine, we can go down to the ZPD together," he huffed.

Judy sighed with relief as she stepped away from the cape buffalo.

"Thank you," she breathed, tears in her eyes.

She turned to leave, but the Chief caught her arm once more.

"And Hopps? Pretend this conversation didn't happen and I'll pretend that you aren't fraternizing with your partner."

Judy gave him a grateful smile and nodded.

"Don't need my best team separated because of love," the Chief muttered as the two left.


	23. Chapter 23

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"It's final, Hopps!"

"Chief, these animals broke into our home! They stole my cellphone!"

"And I've got officers looking into it right now, but you and Wilde are off of this case. Here."

The Chief took a small plastic bag out of the top drawer of his desk and slid it across the surface toward Judy. Judy picked it up and opened the bag, grabbing her cellphone out of it before tossing the plastic in the trashcan next to the desk.

"I managed to get that back, but my word is final," the Chief finished.

"This isn't fair."

"To who?"

"To Nick!"

"If I'm correct, Wilde has personal ties to this case, and since you have personal ties to Wilde, you both are off the case!"

"Nick receives no justice on this."

"Justice for what? Keep in mind Hopps that Wilde's past with these animals has nothing to do with the case. Wilde has let his emotions cloud his judgment; he has no need to seek justice for this."

"Well, then what happens now?" Judy sighed heavily, knowing that the Chief was right.

"You and Wilde go about your lives. I have officers looking into the breaking and entering, and theft, of your home."

"And Plains?"

"What about him?"

"He gets away clean with this? You aren't concerned about why they broke in and stole my phone? Why they toyed with Nick and I for weeks?"

"Hopps, no offense, but the crime isn't that serious, and you've got your cellphone back. Plains is threatening to sue the ZPD for his assault–"

"He wasn't assaulted!"

"It's your word against his, and I don't need a lawsuit on my tail! It's final! You and Wilde will leave Plains alone!"

"You can't check security tapes or anything?" Judy scoffed.

"He is threatening to sue us!"

"Ugh!" Judy yelled, throwing her paws in the air. "Plains is a conniving, scheming, lying–"

"It doesn't matter what he is, he has a restraining order on both of you!"

"_What_?"

"You heard me, Hopps! Do. Not. Get. Involved."

Judy balled her paws into tight fists and held them at her sides as she tried to control her anger.

"Fine," she finally huffed after a few seconds of silence. "How's Nick?"

The Chief hesitated.

"He's fine."

"Yes, because if I was forced to face a fear of mine, I would be 'fine' too," Judy spat bitterly.

"Watch it, Hopps."

"What about the assault charges?" Judy shook her head in frustration.

"Plains agreed to drop them under the conditions that the restraining orders were put in place. He then threatened to sue if the conditions were violated."

"Okay, done," Judy nodded. "May I see Nick?"

"He's in custody downstairs. You can get him if you like."

With a final nod, Judy made her way to the door. As her paw touched the handle, the Chief called out one more time.

"Oh, and Hopps, you and Wilde take the rest of the day off to cool down."

"With all due respect, Chief, after what you did to him this morning, I was planning on doing that anyway," Judy replied without turning to look at him.

Judy then walked down to the basement where temporary custody was set up. She talked to the security guards, filled out the paperwork, and retrieved Nick's personal belongings. Then, she sat on an uncomfortable plastic chair in a small waiting room as she waited for them to release Nick. The sight of Nick almost made Judy's heart break. He was ruffled up, clearly exhausted and traumatized. When he saw Judy, he didn't say a single word, he just hugged her. She held him tight for a few seconds before the two went back upstairs and outside to their SUV. Judy didn't feel like leaving just yet, so they sat in the car, the engine turned on and the air conditioning unit on.

"You okay?" she asked nervously, not really sure what to do.

"Yeah," he replied nonchalantly as he smoothed his ruffled fur.

Judy was somewhat taken aback by his calm reaction. What was he feeling? Was he mad at her for not doing more? Could she have done more?

"Really?"

"Yeah, honestly. That was, uh, that was crazy," he chuckled lightly.

Judy reached out and took his paw, squeezing it gently; she was going to be here for him no matter what.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"What's there to talk about? You were there, Carrots."

"I know, but I just want to make sure you're okay."

Nick looked up at her and squeezed her paw back.

"I know you do, and I promise I am. They removed the muzzle as soon as we got here, so it wasn't on long. I just had to breathe and remain calm."

"I was so worried," Judy whispered.

"I was worried too, but this case is over, and I think it's time to leave the past where it belongs," Nick said before he leaned in and kissed Judy's forehead gently. "Thank you, Carrots."

"For?"

"For being here for me."

Judy smiled and kissed him deeply as a reply. They had been through so much in the few years they had known one another, and they knew that they would go through so much more, but that was okay. They were life mates, and these things were part of the description, which in a way, made it even more special.

"It was my pleasure," she smiled sweetly after pulling away.

She then started the car and began to pull out of the ZPD parking lot.

"Hey, Carrots?"

"Yeah?"

"I _really_ hate being muzzled," he laughed as he grabbed his sunglasses from the pocket in the side of the passenger seat's car door and slid them over his eyes.

Judy couldn't help but laugh.

"I really hate you being muzzled, too."

"You do?"

"Of course, and besides, nothing can contain you."

"Ha, you've got me there. I'm one in a million. However…"

"What?" Judy asked as she looked over at him.

Nick smirked as he returned the glance.

"You muzzle me, but you know, in a good way. I love the way you muzzle me," he stated with a wink.

At that, Judy and Nick burst out laughing.


	24. Chapter 24

"You ready, Carrots?"

"Ready for what?"

"You. Me. Diner down the street. Wadya say?"

"Can't."

"Great, we'll leave in five. I'm thinking that we eat _in_ the diner for once."

"Nick, were you even listening to me?"

"Do you really want me to answer that question?"

As a reply, Judy punched Nick's arm, who gave out a small whine of pain before rubbing the sore area with his paw. Judy laughed as he over exaggerated the punch, now pretending as if he had been shot.

"I'm serious!" she giggled. "I'm busy tonight."

"With who – I mean, with what?" the fox asked.

Judy giggled again, holding her paw to her mouth in an attempt to keep from laughing too loudly. The two were still at work at the ZPD, sitting in their chairs in Judy's office cubicle. There was only another hour or so until they would clock out for the night.

"I just have plans."

"Well, yeah, you have plans; plans to have dinner with me at the diner down the street," Nick chuckled as he pushed Judy's rolling chair away from him.

Judy spun toward the far wall of the cubicle, where she used her feet to gently push her chair back toward the fox.

"Not tonight, Nick," she laughed as her chair collided into his.

"Alright, spill it, Rabbit. What are you doing?"

He pushed her chair again, and she pushed herself back. The conversation continued through their silly game.

"I've got to go pick some things up from a shop downtown," Judy replied easily.

"Can I come?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's a long drive, and I want you to pick me up some food and meet me back at the apartment."

"Oh, I see; it's all about you!"

Judy laughed at his tone as she pressed her feet to the wall of the cubicle again.

"When isn't it?"

"Fair point," Nick smirked. "But seriously, why can't I tag along? You're just shopping."

"Exactly. That would bore you."

"Well, what are you shopping for? It's not a… well, you know," Nick cleared his throat uncomfortably, letting his voice drop to a whisper. "An inappropriate store now, is it?"

Judy punched him in the arm as her chair collided with his for the hundredth time.

"Nick! No, it isn't!"

Nick grinned at her reaction.

"Then what kind of store is it?"

"Why do you care so much?"

"I'm nosey," Nick shrugged.

"Right to the point, huh?" Judy smiled. "Look, it's just a store. I'm just shopping with a friend, anyway, you'd be bored–oof!"

At the word "friend," Nick had jumped up from his chair and had grabbed Judy's chair. Unfortunately, her chair had been in the process of gliding toward the wall, so she hadn't seen him move, and the impact of him grabbing the back of her chair while she had been in motion almost made her fall to the ground.

"Friend?" Nick inquired.

His tone held curiosity, but more suspicion than curiosity. Judy straightened herself back up in the chair and turned to look at Nick.

"Yeah, a friend."

"Who is this _friend?_"

Judy raised her eyebrows at him.

"Do I detect jealousy?"

He quickly let go of her chair and attempted to cover his tracks.

"No, I'm just wondering," Nick shrugged.

"You're doing an awful lot of wondering," Judy giggled as she hopped down from her chair.

"I'm your partner, and I'm a cop. Wondering is my job."

"I don't remember jealousy being part of the job description."

"I'm not jealous," Nick scoffed.

"Ooooh, you so are!" Judy laughed as she saw how hard Nick was trying to put on a false smirk.

"I'm not jealous, Carrots, I just want to know."

Judy turned off her computer, grabbed the keys to their ZPD SUV, and turned to face Nick.

"You want to know if I'm going to go and make out with some animal."

Nick blushed a violent shade of red, which sent Judy into another fit of laughter.

"Nick, oh my God, I'm kidding! It's Clawhauser! I'm going with Clawhauser!"

"You aren't funny, Rabbit," Nick sighed.

"Oh, I'm pretty funny," Judy teased as the two began walking toward the exit of the offices.

Still laughing, the two made their way into the lobby of the ZPD, where Judy began to say goodbye for the time being.

"You promise to get me some food?" Judy asked as she handed him the car keys.

"One Veggie Meal as usual," the fox agreed.

"Awesome," she smiled. "I'll see you at home."

"Will do, Carrots."

Nick leaned in and brushed a kiss across her forehead. In response, Judy closed her eyes and reached up to grip Nick's tie, pulling him closer for the swift moment. After kissing her, Nick lingered slightly, which he always did; it was his instinctual way of showing that he could never decide to leave or to stay a little longer. The movement always made Judy's heart flutter. The moment ended as Nick regrettably pulled away. He then acknowledged Clawhauser, who was seated behind the reception desk as usual, by waving at the cheetah. With one last look at Judy, Nick left. Once he was completely out of sight, Judy turned to Clawhauser.

"You ready?"

"Are you sure you're comfortable with this?" Clawhauser asked, his usually animated expression spotted with slight worry.

"I'm sure," she replied.

"Yeah, but you're lying to him, Judy! You never lie!"

"I know, I know."

Judy thumped her foot against the tiled floor as she thought for a minute. She really shouldn't be doing this. She really, really, _really_ shouldn't be doing this, but she needed to. Tonight was the only night she could get away long enough to do it (every other day of the week, the two worked incredibly late into the night). The guilt was beginning to overwhelm Judy, but she tried to remind herself that the secrets and the lies would only go on for a little bit longer, and then she would tell Nick.

"There's just no other option right now. Nick will understand, but I can't tell him right now. He'd be furious."

A moment of silence fell between the two.

"You ready?" Judy asked, trying to brush off the anxiety the situation was causing her.

Clawhauser nodded, and with that, the two left the ZPD.


	25. Chapter 25

Judy quietly unlocked the apartment door with her key and crept inside, careful not to step on any of the loose floorboards. It was just a few minutes prior to 1:00 AM. Nick was going to _kill_ her.

She was nearly there; just a few more feet and she would be safely seated on the couch. Judy used her paws to feel for the couch as she edged forward. She felt the edge of the furniture, the couch cushions, and part of the middle seats, but then her paws crossed over something interesting, something she wasn't quite able to identify. Just then, the lights in the apartment flicked on, and there was Nick, right beneath her grasp.

Firstly, he was _pissed_. He was reclining lazily on the couch, one of his arms stretched out over the back of the couch, his paw just a few inches from the light switch he had flicked on. His eyes were locked onto Judy's, who stood frozen, her paws still resting on Nick's chest as she had attempted to feel for the couch. Their faces were inches apart, and the look on Nick's face instantly made Judy curse herself internally. A few seconds of awkward stares and no words passed, and then–

"Where the hell have you been? It's one in the morning!"

"I got called into work!" Judy blurted, the lie easily slipping off of her tongue.

Nick's eyes narrowed.

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

Another lie.

"You're lying," Nick retorted instantly.

"No, I'm not," Judy smiled.

Lie number three since she had been home.

"Carrots, I am not an idiot, and you know I'm a hustler. You aren't getting anything past me. Where have you been?"

"You _were_ a hustler, right?" Judy teased.

"We are not playing cute right now, Rabbit. Where have you been?"

"I told you I was shopping."

Lie number four.

"Were you really?"

"Yes."

Lie number five.

"Mmm," Nick scoffed, waiting for her to tell the truth though he knew it wasn't coming anytime soon. "Carrots."

"I was!" she giggled, trying to lighten the mood.

She reached for his tie, so that she could tug at it playfully, but he easily swept it from her grasp.

"You're lying to me."

"I'm not!"

Six.

"Carrots, what's going on?"

Judy bit her lip nervously, trying to think of something other than changing the subject.

"Nothing is going on, Nick. I went shopping, I promise."

Lies seven and eight.

Nick continued to stare at her suspiciously, but he didn't have any evidence to prove whether or not she was being truthful, so he remained quiet. Judy stood up and made her way to their small kitchen, where she grabbed her Veggie Meal from the refrigerator. She began to eat immediately. Nick watched with curiosity.

"Hungry there?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"It's been a long day," Judy laughed.

Nick nodded, as if he were considering a few things. Then, without another word, he went to the bathroom down the hall. Judy heard the water from the sink start running; he was probably washing his face or brushing his teeth. She sat and continued to eat, listening to the water's gentle sounds.

_CRASH!_

Something in the bathroom shattered, making Judy nearly jump a foot from shock. Her fork fell out of her hand and clattered to the floor. Glancing down at the now dirty utensil, Judy leaned over the kitchen counter that secluded the kitchen from the rest of the apartment, and peered down the hallway. The bathroom door was open, and the water was still running, but Judy also heard what sounded like a scramble taking place, as if two birds were fighting in the small room.

"Nick?" Judy called, trying not to overreact.

Without warning, Nick came racing out of the bathroom toward Judy and stopped at the kitchen counter, fear in his green eyes.

"Nick! You scared me!" Judy gripped her chest for a moment. "What is going on? Did you drop something?"

Nick didn't answer at first. He was dripping wet, as if he had been in the middle of washing his face when something happened, and his eyes were wide with what seemed to be horror.

"Nick? Did you break the toothbrush holder? I swear, I just bought that thing and it wasn't cheap!"

"Are you pregnant?"

"Am I – _what?_"

The two stared at one another in horror.

"Are you pregnant, Judy?"

He whispered it, as if scared of her words. Judy stood there, her eyes wide in absolute shock. He had used her first name, something very serious, and looked as if he might throw himself out the window. She then burst out laughing.

"Pregnant? HA! You're kidding, right?"

Judy clutched at her sides, her laughter racking her small body.

"I am not pregnant, Nick," she sighed, wiping the tears that had begun to form at the corners of her eyes.

"Do you know that for sure?" Nick asked, clearly not convinced.

"What?"

"Do you know that for sure?" he was still tense, on edge.

"I mean, no, I guess?" Judy reasoned with a shrug of her shoulders. "Why?"

"Be honest: what were you doing tonight?"

"I was shopping with Clawhauser."

Lie number nine.

Nick ran a paw over his wet face, water dripping everywhere.

"What were you shopping for? Where is the stuff you bought?"

"With Clawhauser."

Lie number ten.

Judy felt the guilt rising inside of her; when would the lies end? Couldn't she just tell him? No, she couldn't, that was certain.

"Did you buy… _stuff?_"

"What?"

"Did you… you know, did you…" his voice dropped to a very low pitch. "Did you buy a test?"

"I'm not pregnant, Nick!"

The fox then relaxed slightly, and with one final look at Judy, he grabbed the broom and dustpan from the kitchen closet.

"I'm going to go sweep up the toothbrush holder," he muttered as he made his way back down the hallway.

"Aw, Nick!" Judy yelled after him. "I _just _bought that! It was my favorite!"

Judy put the rest of her Veggie Meal back into the refrigerator and picked her fork up from the floor. Tossing the piece of silverware into the sink, she went back to sit on the couch, where she waited for Nick to finish cleaning up his mess. When Nick returned, he looked stressed, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

"Don't scare me like that," he muttered as he collapsed on the couch, his head resting in Judy's lap.

Judy laughed as she gently stroked one of his ears.

"Trust me, I won't."

Lie number eleven.


	26. Chapter 26

"Clawhauser! You seen the Rabbit today?"

"She isn't with you?"

"She wasn't at the apartment this morning; left before I woke up."

Nick noticed it before Clawhauser even realized he had done it: a fleeting glance of worry crossed the cheetah's face, and it wasn't a glance that meant, "I'm worrying about Judy," it was a glance that meant "I'm worrying Nick will find out."

"Hey… what was that?" Nick asked, his eyes now scanning Clawhauser's.

"What was what?"

More glances of worry. Nick placed his hands on his paws and fixed the oversized cheetah with a lazy expression.

"Alright, spill it."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Clawhauser, you can't lie to me. You know where Judy is, don't you?"

"Noooooo."

His reply was nervous and drawn out, and his eyes kept darting over to the closet just a few feet down the hall from the reception desk. Nick sighed as he began making his way to the closet.

"You two are really killing me, you know that?"

"Nick, no!" Clawhauser yelled as he attempted to get down from his chair and stop the fox before he could open the door, but Nick was in better shape than the cheetah, and he reached the door first.

Pulling it open, Nick was shocked at the sight before him, and frankly, he was kind of angry too.

"Clawhauser! There are like dozens of boxes of donuts in here, Big Guy, and you didn't share any of them with me!"

In the supply closet, some of the shelves had been cleared of their usual contents and replaced with Clawhauser's secret stash of donuts.

"Don't tell Chief," Clawhauser whined.

Nick chuckled as he reached in a box and grabbed two glazed donuts.

"It'll be our secret," Nick smirked, then shut the closet door and made his way toward the ZPD offices.

"Now I have secrets with both of them," Clawhauser muttered as he watched the fox's receding figure.

Nick still couldn't find Judy. She wasn't seated in her office cubicle; in fact, the cubicle looked completely untouched since yesterday. He thought Clawhauser of all people would know where to find Judy, but it turned out he was just a donut hoarder. However, he might still know something. Nick had just assumed the donuts were all he was hiding.

Nick set the two donuts down on his desk and looked around curiously, wondering where the bunny had gotten off to. That morning, Nick had awoken to find that he was the only one within the apartment. Judy hadn't left a note or texted him, but she did leave the keys to the SUV and had taken her ZPD badge. Yes, Nick was worried, but he wasn't about to let himself panic; this bunny was more than capable of taking care of herself. Nick briefly thought of the time a fox had attacked Judy in an alleyway after she had pursued him, Nick not far behind. He quickly shook his head of the images that began to flash in front of his eyes. He didn't need to be reminded of those types of things.

Nick then decided to go grab coffee from their favorite coffee shop. If he couldn't find Judy, he might as well have coffee. He had just exited the ZPD offices and was making his way to the lobby when he heard it: Judy's voice. He was just in front of the locker rooms, and Judy's voice could be clearly heard from the women's locker rooms. It sounded as if she was on her phone.

"…He definitely suspects something, Fru Fru…"

Oh, and apparently, she was talking to Fru Fru, an arctic shrew who also happened to be the daughter of the crime boss, Mr. Big. The two had been good friends ever since Judy had saved the shrew's life just a day before her wedding. But who was the "he" they were talking about? They couldn't have been talking about him, right? That would mean that Judy was lying to him. Nick leaned against the wall just outside of the women's locker room and listened eagerly.

"…I mean, I don't think he suspects anything like this, because this is big, like I mean, really big! I just don't know how much longer I can keep this up…"

So, she was lying to him.

Nick's ears flattened against his head as he thought about their conversation the night before.

"…All of this lying and sneaking around is just a lot of work, and maybe it will be worth it? I don't know… Who have I talked to? Well, I let Clawhauser know, of course, and the Chief. Flash? Well, I mean I did have to practically wait at the DMV for six hours but I talked to him too. Now Finnick is a tricky little guy to get a hold of, but I managed it…"

Nick's eyes narrowed. Clawhauser? The Chief? Flash? _Finnick? _Geez, talk about "friends."

"…Ha, no, I'm not really worried about him finding out on his own… Oh, believe me, Nick may be a fox, but he's really not that hard to outwit. I did hustle him once, you know. Yeah, _super _easy…"

In the hall, Nick was trying not to throw a fit. He had his hands in the air, gesturing violently.

"'_Super _easy?'" he whispered in astonishment.

"…Anyway, I'm telling him soon, so no worries… Yeah, I have everything planned, so I'll let you know. I'm just so nervous to tell him. He is going to be so mad… Alright, I will … Okay, talk to you soon, Fru Fru."

Nick's eyes widened as he realized she was coming out of the locker room. He quickly bolted for the men's locker room, attempting to make it look as if he had just casually walked out. However, that went horrible wrong as Nick slipped and fell in the middle of the hall.

"Nick?"

Judy was standing with her paws on her hips, looking down at the crumpled mess that was Nick.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice suspicious and slightly worried.

"Oh, me? I was just… racing Clawhauser."

Judy's eyebrows shot up.

"Racing Clawhauser?"

She looked around and saw Clawhauser seated at the reception desk. He waved cheerfully at her, which she returned before looking skeptically back down at Nick.

"He won," Nick laughed as he stood and brushed himself off.

"Uh-huh," she giggled.

"Where have you been, Carrots? I've been looking for you."

"I lost my phone, thought it was in the locker room."

"Was it?"

"No, so I guess I'll just keep looking."

Lie number twelve.

Nick's eyebrows rose slightly as he noted the lie and how easily it slid from her lips. How many times had she lied to his face to the point where she was now comfortable with it?


	27. Chapter 27

The day went on as usual as the two went to get coffee, then returned to the ZPD offices, where they continued with work as they took usual calls and filled out usual paperwork. Nick didn't say anything about the call and Judy didn't say anything about the possibility of Nick eavesdropping. Both were scared of the truth. Nick, however, couldn't help but be mad at himself as well as her. Why was she lying to him? How long had she been lying to him? Did he do something that made her think it was okay to lie to his face as if it were nothing? And most importantly: what was she hiding?

Judy was afraid he knew the secrets she was keeping from him. She felt the guilt tear at her heart all throughout the day. She wasn't trying to hurt Nick, it was just for the better. Judy had never been a liar, but now, she was practically a pro at it, which riddled her with guilt and regret. At this point, she had been keeping secrets from Nick for about a month. What she was planning was big, and while she had only been working on it for a month, she had gotten the idea around the time that Nick had run into some old Junior Ranger Scouts who had muzzled him when he was younger. She shivered slightly at that unpleasant memory; she hated thinking of the Nick she had seen during that time. While there had been no conclusion in the moment, a few weeks after the incident, the four animals were sentenced to prison for breaking and entering, as well as theft. It made Nick feel slightly better, but it bothered him that he couldn't have been the one to send them to prison. Judy was simply glad that they had finally received some justice.

For a month, Judy had guilt tugging at her as she continued on with life as if nothing were happening. Now, she couldn't take it anymore; she had to tell Nick soon, which had spurred all of the suspicion. However, Nick wasn't the only one she was keeping secrets from. Her friends and family were all oblivious to a few secrets she had decided to keep to herself. The pressure of sneaking around and lying was beginning to suffocate her, but she wasn't going to let it anymore. Tonight, she would tell Nick.

It was nearly 3:00 PM when Nick swiveled his chair over to Judy's cubicle, colliding into her chair. They both laughed, pretending nothing was going on. Pretending was easier at this point. As far as they both knew, they could be secretly losing each other, so why not pretend for the time being?

"You hungry, Carrots?"

"Not really."

"Ha, you now hungry?" Nick chuckled as his eyebrows shot up. "Don't make me laugh."

"You make it sound like I am a pig," Judy grinned at him.

"Hey, don't insult the pigs!" Nick laughed as Judy leaned over and playfully punched his arm. "No, but seriously, a Veggie Meal doesn't even sound good to you?"

"Yuck, that actually sounds disgusting right now," Judy toyed as she stuck out her tongue.

Nick looked at Judy in complete awe and with minor concern.

"Since when do you find vegetables disgusting? And I thought you loved Griz's cooking."

"I do, it just doesn't sound appealing right now."

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Judy replied, looking up from her computer as she did so. "Why?"

"You seem…unusual, lately."

"Do I?"

Nick nodded. He was easing into the bigger issue, but he was simply skimming the surface at the moment; breaking the tension.

"You feeling okay?"

Nick leaned forward and placed a paw on Judy's forehead, pretending to take her temperature in the most theatrical way possible. Judy giggled and pushed his hand away.

"I don't get sick, Nick."

Nick rolled his eyes.

"Maybe you should go home for the day just to be sure," he offered.

"You and I already miss quite a bit of work as is."

Both briefly thought of the traumatic events that had taken place over the last year, then proceeded with the conversation as if those thoughts hadn't surfaced.

"Yeah, but if you're sick, you're sick. Gotta take off work for that, Rabbit."

"I'm not sick."

"Alright, alright," Nick said, putting his paws up in defense. "I'm going to grab some food for myself then. Text me if you change your mind."

With that, Nick set out for the diner, their usual food place. On the drive over, Nick thought about Judy's behavior over the last few days. She wasn't one to hide things, but here she was, hiding everything. At the diner, Nick greeted Dawn, the white-tailed doe hostess, and then made his way back to the kitchen where Griz was, picked up his food as he made some mild conversation with the massive grizzly bear, and then made his way to the exit. That's when he saw Finnick's van parked in an alley across the street. His intrusiveness got the best of him, so he carefully crossed the street and knocked on the back of the van. As usual, Finnick answered the knock with a baseball bat in paw, ready to beat any unsavory visitors to a pulp.

"Oh, it's you," the fennec fox growled in a deep voice.

"Glad to see you too, Big Guy."

"Haven't seen you in a while. Whatya doing?"

"I have a couple of questions."

"Hey, if this is about my hustling–"

"It's not, it's about Judy," Nick answered quickly.

A grin spread across the little fox's face.

"You having lady issues?"

"In a sense, yes. She talk to you recently?"

"All business I see," Finnick mocked, but at the grave look on Nick's face, he continued. "Yeah, we talked a few days ago."

"What about?"

"I think if she wanted you to know she would have told you."

"I'm asking you."

Finnick let out a cackle.

"Your girl keeping things from you now, Nick?"

Nick didn't reply, a bitter look on his face. Finnick continued to laugh, his deep voice echoing in the van. After his laughter had somewhat ceased, he continued.

"Look, all I'm gonna tell you is that maybe you should keep a tighter leash on your girl."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Nick snapped.

"What do you think it means?" Finnick shrugged gingerly.

"Are you saying what I think you are?"

Finnick shrugged again.

"Let's just say that we aren't the only con artists in the world."

Nick nodded, his muscles tight.

"Thanks, Big Guy. See you around."

Nick crossed the street and got into the SUV, where he sat for a moment, his paws clenched tightly around the steering wheel. He sat there for a while, thinking everything over as he watched the busy streets around him. The longer Nick sat there in that car, the higher his anger rose. Thinking of what Finnick had said, Nick made a decision.

That was it, the final straw. He was going to see Judy, and he was ending this entire charade right this instant. Suddenly, Nick felt his phone vibrate. Fire coursing through his veins, Nick picked up his phone and saw a text from Judy.

"Where are u? Been gone for ever…"

The phone buzzed again, another text from her.

"I miss u. Come see me."

She had sent it with a winking face, which only seemed to anger Nick more. He started the SUV and drove to the ZPD, trying not to let his anger overcome him… yet. Once at the ZPD, Nick was practically shaking as he parked the car and began walking along the sidewalk to the entrance of the building. He pushed through the glass doors, where he was met with a cascade of noise.


	28. Chapter 28

"SURPRISE!"

The room itself seemed to scream as every animal present in the lobby of the ZPD cheered in unison. Some whooped and hooted, while others clapped and yelled out things like "happy birthday." Finnick, Flash and Priscilla, Fru Fru, her husband, and their many children, as well as Mr. Big and his security, were all present at the gathering. The entire lobby of the ZPD was overflowing with animals and decorations. A massive cake topped with blueberries from Judy's family's farm sat next to Clawhauser and Chief Bogo (who were talking at the reception desk), balloons and streamers littered the ceiling and the floor, and music blasted from speakers that had been strategically placed throughout the room. To anyone, it was the best birthday party they could ask for. Nick, however, did not smile or acknowledge anyone; he was staring right at Judy, hatred in his eyes, not quite understanding just yet that all of the lying had been for a simple party. Confused, Judy motioned him over with her paw.

"Happy birthday, Nick!" she smiled once he was just a few inches away from her. "I hope you like it! It took forever to plan, and I kept wondering if this was even worth it–"

"We need to talk."

Those four words instantly wiped the grin off of Judy's face. She felt like she had been slapped in the face. Wasn't he enjoying the party? Didn't he like what she had done for him? She had worked so hard…

"What's wrong?" she asked, slightly hurt.

"Oh, I think you know exactly what's wrong," he hissed.

At this point, the party animals nearest the two began to sense the tension and were quieting down to listen to the developing drama.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Nick, what is wrong with you? You act like you don't even care what's going on!"

"Oh, I'm not the one who doesn't care!"

Nick's voice had risen significantly, making the majority of the room now stop and stare at this new center of attention. The Chief and Clawhauser stopped talking and nervously looked toward the couple.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb, Judy!"

At that moment, the Chief leaned in near Clawhauser's ear.

"Have you ever heard him call her by her first name?" he asked the cheetah.

"No," Clawhauser whispered back in horror.

"Play dumb? Nick, you are acting completely crazy right now!"

"Oh, yes, I'm sure I'm the crazy one, huh?" Nick exclaimed, throwing his paws in the air and gesturing to the room, which was now completely quiet. "I'm sure every animal in here thinks I'm absolutely nuts!"

"Nick, stop it," Judy exclaimed, completely shocked by Nick's behavior. "I can't believe you are doing this!"

"What about what you did to me? How could you? _How could you_? If it wasn't working, couldn't you have just let me know? Was this really necessary? I thought we were friends, partners, life mates! I guess I was wrong," Nick shook his head, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Judy asked with furrowed eyebrows. "Nick, you aren't making any sense at all!"

"Well at least I'm faithful!"

The room went dead silent as almost every animal in the room was gripped with shock at Nick's sudden outburst. The words echoed off of the wall as they sunk in, the music and crowd now completely silent. A few gasps could even be heard. Judy's jaw dropped slightly.

"How am I supposed to keep their relationship under wraps when they keep shouting about it every chance they get?" the Chief muttered under his breath.

"You think I'm _cheating_ on you?" Judy asked, incredulous.

Nick's reply was that of a puzzled expression.

"Wait, you aren't cheating on me?" he asked, his anger ebbing away.

"_No_!"

And that's when things began to click into place for Nick.

"Oh."

"Oh?' '_Oh?_' What do you mean 'oh?' My God, Nick, what kind of animal do you think I am?" Judy hissed.

"Well, this is awkward," Clawhauser whispered.

"Awkward doesn't begin to describe it," the Chief mumbled back.

An unsettling silence fell over the room once again.

"So, the call with Fru Fru where you were talking about my friends…" Nick thought aloud.

"Was about the party and inviting them, Nick!"

"And the night you went shopping…"

"Was to get the final decorations!"

"But Finnick said that you–"

"Hey, don't you drag me into this!" Finnick shouted from the back of the room.

Nick shot him a look before turning back to the furious bunny.

"I'm sorry?" Nick grimaced, not entirely sure what to do.

This, however, was not the right thing to say.

"'_Sorry_?' Oh, you're going to be sorry, Nicholas Wilde! After all I've done for you, you think I would cheat on you?"

"Well, you were a bit suspicious!"

"It's called a _surprise_ birthday party, Nick!"

The Chief cleared his throat, and then winced nervously when every pair of eyes swiveled to look at him.

"Officer Wilde, Officer Hopps, can we take this outside?" the cape buffalo offered somewhat meekly.

Nick's mouth was the first to open.

"Yes, of course, Chief–"

"Oh, no!" Judy scoffed. "He called me out, now I'm calling him out!"

"Carrots, we don't have to do this–"

"Oh, so I'm 'Carrots,' now? What happened to calling me 'Judy,' Nick?"

"Well–"

"What happened is that you found out that I'm not some lying, cheating, foul, deceiving, little–!"

Every mammal in the room winced with Judy's insult.

"O-o-o-oh this is going to be _good_," a wolf officer laughed as he nudged one of his buddies.

"I didn't say you were a–" Nick began.

"You most definitely did! 'At least I'm faithful,' remember that, Nick?"

"Y-yes, I do, but–"

"You are _unbelievable_!"

Judy took a step forward. Nick took a step back. The whole room was watching the show, enjoying the moment.

"Officer Hopps?" the Chief called nervously, but was ignored.

Being a full-grown cape buffalo, Chief Bogo had never been ignored, but he had to admit that he was honestly afraid of a rabbit in that moment.

"I am just–just _so _mad at you!" Judy yelled as she struggled with the words, her anger making her shake.

Nick had never seen her that mad. _No one_ had ever seen her that mad.

"I understand, and I don't blame you. Let's just take a few deep breaths, Carrots."

Judy took a deep breath, trying to control herself. Then, without any warning, she reached over and snatched a cup of punch from a nearby gazelle officer and threw it right at Nick, the red liquid spraying all over him. Noise entered the room again as a number of animals gasped, while other tried to contain their laughter.

"Okay, I deserved that," Nick stated as he wiped punch from his face.

"You _deserve _a lot more," the bunny hissed at him as she continued to advance. "And to_ think_ I planned this for you!"

As Judy advanced on Nick, she began throwing any party decorations she could get her paws on.

"_To think_ I would care enough to do this just for you!"

Balloons and streamers continued to fly past Nick's head, but he didn't attempt to dodge them. After all, they were just balloons and streamers; he was more afraid of Judy.

"_To think_ I was going to tell you that I'm–" Judy stopped, tears welling up in her large gorgeous amethyst eyes.

Nick's eyebrows furrowed at her words, and he attempted to move forward to comfort her, but was met with a deadly look.

"Well, my mistake," Judy spat bitterly.

Nick's ears fell flat against his head.

"Carrots, I didn't mean to–"

"I'll be in the car."

Nick reached out for the rabbit as she passed him, but she shrugged him off as she walked through the glass doors of the ZPD, the entire crowd watching her little cottontail disappear through the doors.


	29. Chapter 29

Every pair of eyes in the room remained on Nick, who stood completely still in the middle of the room, soaked to the bone with sticky red punch. A few animals coughed uncomfortably.

"Okay everyone, go back to your drinks," the Chief announced loudly.

In the most awkward way possible, the crowd slowly began to converse and continue on with the party without the birthday fox and the party hostess bunny. Nick stood there, regretting his actions as he became angry with himself for being so stupid and so mean to Judy. What was he thinking? What had he done? Without a word, Nick walked out of the ZPD. Worry filled his heart as he looked for their car in the darkness.

"Damn it, Nick, she's all you've got and you just messed it all up," he muttered to himself as he scoured the dark with his night vision, trying to remember where he had parked.

A few minutes later, he found Judy sitting in their SUV that was parked toward the end of the lot. He hesitantly knocked on the window of the passenger door. Judy looked up at him; she had been crying, which made Nick's heart fall at the sight of her. Amazingly, she unlocked the car for him without a word or a mean look. He got into the passenger seat and sat there quietly. Judy sniffled and then let out a small giggle, making Nick look over at her in complete surprise.

"Leave it to the dumb fox to mistake a surprise birthday party for me cheating," she muttered.

"Leave it to the sly bunny to plan a surprise birthday party so well that I have no other choice but to assume you were cheating," Nick chuckled.

Judy looked up at him with a small smile, which Nick returned.

"I take it you aren't mad at me anymore?" he asked nervously.

"No, I think I got all my anger out in there," Judy replied as she gestured a paw at the ZPD, which was alight with the party. "And besides, it wasn't all your fault. I messed up too."

Nick couldn't help but sigh with relief, which Judy scoffed at.

"Nick, do you ever think about how our life is kind of like one big movie?"

"Like with villains and good guys and guns and drama and love and junk like that?"

"Exactly like that."

"Then yeah, I do."

Nick looked down at Judy fondly. This amazing, hilarious, intelligent, ambitious, gorgeous little bunny was not only in his life, but an animal that he could call "his," and that was the greatest feeling in the world.

"Thanks for the party, Carrots," he said as he leaned in to kiss her, but then drew back suddenly, a new thought coming to mind. "Hey, how did you know when my birthday was, anyway? I don't think I've ever told you…"

Judy glanced away sheepishly.

"Well, you see, about a month ago it occurred to me that I've known you for over a year and we've never really celebrated your birthday, so I just–well, I just looked it up in your police file."

Nick chuckled as he continued to lean in for a kiss.

"Well, that was pretty clever of you – hang on!"

He drew back again.

"You didn't happen to read anything else in there, did you?"

"Oh, not much... Nicholas _Piberius_ Wilde," Judy grinned mischievously.

Nick couldn't help but laugh.

"Sly Bunny."

"Dumb Fox."

Nick kissed her gently, his lips lingering on hers. The kiss lasted for a few blissful seconds, before Judy pulled away.

"Hey, I have something for you."

She then handed him a cheesy birthday card that had a cartoon fox pictured on the front. Raising his eyebrows at Judy, Nick opened the card to find a note from her:

_Dear, Nick;_

_I know we don't usually do birthdays, but we have known each other for so long and at this point, it's silly not to. I wanted to use this card to say the words I haven't been able to actually spit out. Life is busy and messy and we never really take the time to slow down and really acknowledge one another, so I thought this card would be a wonderful way for me to do that. What I'm trying to say is that I have you to thank for how far I have gotten in my life and in my career. You are truly the greatest best friend, partner, and life mate I could ask for. I look forward to the long life I know we have ahead of us, a life that I would love to spend every minute of with you. I am also so amazed and proud of what you have become since I have met you. You are not as bad as everyone makes you out to be, and I'm glad you gave me the chance to get to know the real Nick Wilde. Also, don't tell anyone this, and I'll deny it if you tell people, but I consider you my personal hero._

_Love,_

_Judy_

"By the way, my middle name is Laverne."

Nick looked up from the card, a confused expression on his face.

"You asked me almost a year ago, when we started dating. It's Laverne."

Nick stared fondly at Judy, the "greatest feeling ever" sweeping over him again as he did so.

"Thank you, Carrots," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed her again.

Once they had parted, the two then leaned back in their seats, savoring the moment.

"I guess we should go back in there," Nick finally sighed after a while.

"Do you really think we should after what just happened?" Judy grimaced.

"Fair point."

"You should probably go change soon though."

"Why?"

"You smell like punch, and it isn't a good smell on you," Judy giggled.

"Yeah, thanks for that, by the way," Nick laughed.

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay. I deserved it. I was a jerk to you."

"Yeah, but I lied to you."

"True, but I should have trusted you. That's my job and I failed miserably. I shouldn't have jumped the gun, especially after all we've been through."

Judy smiled thoughtfully at him. Words couldn't express how grateful she was to have ever met him.

"I love you, Nick."

"I love you too, Judy."

"No more surprise birthday parties?" Judy giggled.

"No more surprise birthday parties," Nick snickered.

A peaceful silence fell over the car once more as the two watched the party continue on inside. The party had now reached full volume, as laughter and music could be heard from outside. Nick smiled as his glance fell over his friends enjoying the night, even Finnick, who by the looks of it was flirting with a gazelle.

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember that night you broke my favorite toothbrush holder?"

"Ha, don't remind me."

Judy playfully punched his arm.

"I'm serious, do you?" she asked.

"Of course, why?"

"Do you remember why you broke it?"

"Yeah, I thought you were pregnant. Then I thought you were cheating. Turns out you were just planning a party. Nice, huh? Now I gotta buy a new toothbrush holder for you…" Nick trailed off at the thought of going shopping for something as pristine as a toothbrush holder.

"You thought I was pregnant," Judy said.

It was a statement, not a question, and it left Nick very confused. He looked up at her, his eyebrows knotting slightly.

"What are you getting at, Carrots?"

"Nick, I'm pregnant."

Nothing. Dead silence. The silence filled the car, the tension so thick it could have been cut with a knife. Nick looked at Judy, a mixture of emotions playing across both of their faces. Feelings of shock, wonder, pride, excitement, and worry swept over them.

"How long have you known?" he breathed.

"I found out the day after."

"Do you know how far along you are?"

"Six weeks."

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, food is gross, though."

"That explains lunch today, and this morning when I couldn't find you, you weren't in the women's locker room the whole time, were you?"

"I had a doctor's appointment."

Nick nodded and couldn't help but smile at his cunning, deceiving, sly, little bunny. The two stared at each other, green into amethyst and vice versa, and they grinned. They beamed at the thought of the chaos to come. Their journey had only just begun, even with two years of knowing one another and one year of dating. As Nick let Judy's words sink in, he thought of the very first time they met.

_"…Officer...?"_

_"Hopps! Mr…?"_

_"Wilde, Nick Wilde."_

Then, with one word, Nick seemed to summarize everything. This single word seemed to describe their love, their entire life, and their current situation. This word would always be used for them, the bunny and the fox, no matter the moment.

"Wow."


	30. Chapter 30

"Wow," Nick breathed.

There they were, seated in their registered Zootopia Police Department SUV, trying to comprehend how their life had taken a sudden turn in such a short period of time. It was just him and Judy… and their baby, or babies, technically.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up," Judy laughed. "What are we doing with our lives?"

Nick looked over at Judy, her face barely visible in the dim light of the moon. It was already nearing midnight, and the two sat outside of the ZPD in their SUV, avoiding the birthday party that was taking place in the lobby of the building.

"This," Nick answered as he opened his car door.

He jumped out onto the pavement below and turned around to Judy, who was watching him with interest. Nick held out a paw to her.

"Come on, Carrots."

"What are you doing?"

"Just trust me. Come here real quick."

Giving Nick a skeptical look as she did so, Judy slid over the passenger's seat to Nick and took his paw. He helped her down and then shut the car door once she was safely out of the way.

"What are we doing, Nick?"

"I'm doing what I should have done in the first place. I'm sorry I thought you cheated. I'm sorry I ruined the party you planned for me. We are going to go back in there and do this the right way."

Judy blinked back tears.

"Whoa, what's wrong? Why are you being emotional?"

Judy sniffled a laugh and put her head against Nick's chest.

"You are amazing," she cried.

He brought her closer and kissed the top of her head.

"You bunnies, so emotional."

Nick waited a few seconds to give Judy time to calm herself before sweeping her up into his arms in one fluent motion, which caused her to let out a surprised squeal.

"Come on, Carrots, let's do this."

Nick began walking.

"Man, I can feel you already getting heavier," Nick chuckled.

Judy gave him a look and pulled on his ear as punishment for the sarcastic remark.

"I would do a lot worse if it weren't for the current situation," she laughed.

"I believe you, I'm already covered in punch."

"I know, you're staining my clothes."

"Who cares about clothes when you're starting a family?" Nick scoffed.

"I think starting a family gives you more of a reason to care about clothes, actually, Nick," Judy grinned.

Nick turned and used his back to push open the ZPD doors. The party was in full swing, and no one really seemed to notice them… well, almost.

"Nick! Judy!" Clawhauser yelled in a gloriously loud voice from across the lobby.

The majority of the room quickly turned their attention to the couple, Judy in Nick's arms. It was clear that their thoughts centered along the lines of, "ooooh, what's the next drama going to be?" Judy felt her face getting hot as her cheeks flushed. At least things couldn't get any worse…

"Hey everyone."

Oh Lord, why was Nick even talking?

"Nick, why are you even talking?" Judy whispered to him.

He glanced down at her, but then continued as if nothing had happened.

"We have an announcement."

"Wait, no, Nick. I don't think we should tell everyone right now–"

"We're having a baby!"

Half of the room erupted in cheers and congratulatory remarks, while the other half stood in complete awe, a little confused.

"Niiiiiiiiick," Judy hissed, hiding her face in her hands.

Nick leaned in and kissed the top of her head leaning in close.

"This is payback for lying to me about the party," he whispered.

Judy gave him a punch to the arm, trying to contain her laughter.

"Jokes on you, you're stuck with a family now. Oh, and by the way, I'm pretty sure it's 'babies,' not 'baby,'" Judy chuckled as she hopped down from Nick's grasp.

His eyes widened as the realization struck him. The crowd was now beginning to close in on them to continue the party and begin the celebration of a new family.

"Happy birthday," Judy smirked as she turned and greeted a few of the other officers.

The night went by in a complete blur as each animal had a chance to talk to the parents-to-be.

"OMgoodness, Judy, tell me there's a baby shower!" Clawhauser had practically cried as he picked up Judy in a massive hug.

Fru Fru had already pulled out ideas for a nursery and was presenting them to Nick, who was trying not to look at the Chief, who looked… well, _pissed_. Finnick had made several sexual remarks as he was already downing his fourth cup of the punch that had most likely been spiked.

After all of the socializing had seemed to cease, the party went back into full swing. Night turned to early morning as the clock quickly neared 3:00 AM. Proof of the punch being spiked was apparent as some animals had to drag friends or themselves to cars and cabs. Some animals had left much earlier in the night, such as Fru Fru and her family, as well as Clawhauser and the Chief, while others remained. Finnick was practically dead. Judy had to drag him off of a potted plant and into the back seat of the SUV her and Nick shared. Unfortunately, the act of carrying a fox, even a fennec fox, was no easy task for a little bunny, especially a little bunny who was doing it _alone_.

Finnick wasn't the only one who began throwing back drinks as the night progressed.

"Nick, we're going home."

Nick was drunkenly draped over the reception desk of the ZPD. Empty plastic cups littered the area around him, as well as the entire lobby. In the simplest terms, the Zootopia Police Department was absolutely trashed. A tired, yet completely sober Judy nudged Nick and repeated her words. Nick moved slightly, his eyes fluttered open and caught sight of the bunny who was impatiently thumping her foot, her arms crossed. The fox was awake, but far from lucid; his reply was a jumble of words. Judy rolled her eyes.

"Nick," she whined. "Your boyfriend is in the car and I'm pretty sure he'll have alcohol poisoning after tonight, so let's go."

Judy tugged Nick off of the desk and got him onto his feet. The two then began stumbling to the exit.

"Nick, use your feet!" Judy giggled as the fox leaned heavily on her for support. "You're huge!"

"Mmm. Did you just–just call me fat?" he mumbled in between hiccups.

Judy laughed again as she shoved him upward before helping him through the doors of the ZPD. After what felt like an eternity later, Judy finally was able to shove Nick into the passenger seat, get herself into the car, and begin driving home. Judy sighed as the car sped down Main Street.

"Finnick will just have to sleep at our place tonight."

Nick gave a quiet giggle.

"What?" Judy asked suspiciously, sparing a glance over at the intoxicated animal.

"I was just thinking about–about the best part – the best part of us."

"The best part of us?"

"I mean–I mean the best part–the best part of this–this–this baby thing."

Judy chuckled at his word choice.

"Okay, and what would that be?"

"Ha, I–I think the best–the best part is that–that we _totally_ had sex!" Nick whispered in a slurred voice.

"You are so drunk," Judy laughed with a shake of her head.

"And you–you are adorable."

"You are going to feel this in the morning."

Judy pulled into a parking space in front of the apartment complex and shut off the engine. She then moved to open the car door, but Nick leaned across the middle seat that separated them and stopped her.

"Hey, hey, I have to t-tell ya something."

Rolling her eyes, Judy turned back to face him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I have to tell you something, but–but you can't tell–ya can't tell Judy."

Judy's eyebrows instantly shot up.

"Oh, this should be good. Nick, I _am_ Judy."

Nick put a paw to her lips and silenced her with a cascade of shushing.

"Don't tell her! You can't tell her… she'd kill me!"

Judy suddenly became very suspicious at the way Nick was acting, no matter how drunk he was.

"Okay… I won't tell her. What is it?"

"I–I haven't told her yet, but–but I–I _really _need to."

"What is it? What haven't you told her?"

"That–that I love her–I love her a lot… she knows it, but I-I'm scared, ya know…? Scared to tell–to tell her–to tell Judy. She thinks a lot of me, that silly, silly, rabbit… I dunno if I'm w-worth it... and now–and–and now there's a baby! …Or babies? I dunno how this works, but–but I dunno if I can be–if I can be a father, but I wanna be one. I wanna do this right…"

Judy felt tears threaten to spill as she looked at her soon-to-be-majorly-hung-over boyfriend. Here he was, this perfect creature, and the best part? This perfect fox was going to be the father of her children. Judy leaned in to kiss him, but he pulled away suddenly.

"Hey! I got a girlfriend!"

Judy couldn't help but smile at him. She then leaned in again.

"Nick, I'm Judy!" she giggled, their faces inches apart.

"You're Carrots?"

"I'm Carrots."

"Carrots! When did you get here?"

Judy giggled again.

"I've been here, Babe."

Nick gave her a confused look as if he were deep in thought.

"I love ya, Carrots," he finally mumbled before resting his forehead against hers.

"I love you too, Nick."

It took almost thirty minutes for Judy to drag both Nick and Finnick up to the apartment that her and Nick shared. Finnick was dragged up first, but Judy was so tired by the time that she had dragged him up two floors that she just left him on the floor as soon as she entered the apartment. Nick was next, and although he was conscious, he was twice as heavy as Finnick and twice as hard to control. After both foxes were lying on the floor by the front door, Judy went and showered and then quickly fell asleep in Nick's – _their_ – bed.

The next morning, Nick woke up with a major headache and an overall feeling of dread.

"Ugggggh," he groaned as he sat up.

He was lying on the wooden floor in the living room, near the front door.

"What happened?" Nick rubbed his head, trying to rub the ache away.

"Oh, are you finally awake?"

Nick looked up to see Judy just a few feet away in their small kitchen, hard at work at the stove, cooking something that smelled amazing. Nick glanced over and saw Finnick still passed out on the floor.

"When did he get here?"

"Oh, he's been here. Coffee?"

Nick nodded groggily.

"I had the craziest dream, Carrots, you would never believe it."

"Hit me, I think I can take it."

"You're gonna laugh at me."

Judy rolled her eyes.

"After last night, I don't think I am physically capable of laughing anymore."

"Wait… what did I do last night?"

"Nothing," Judy giggled. "Tell me about the dream."

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Promise."

"Alright, well, you told me this thing. It was so weird," Nick rubbed his head again as he tried to remember the "dream."

"Oh, yeah?" Judy inquired.

"We were at this party, no idea what for, and you told me you were – and don't laugh – you told me you were pregnant. Ha, crazy, I know."

Nick looked at Judy, who was standing and staring at him, a huge grin on her face.

"Hey, you said you wouldn't laugh!" the fox exclaimed.

Judy began giggling at Nick's glare.

"Nick, Honey, you're in for a shock."

"Why?"

"Wasn't a dream, Nick…" Judy said gently as she walked over and handed a steaming mug to Nick, carefully watching his perplexed expression.

"What?"

Judy grinned at him.

"Nick, it wasn't a dream. I'm actually pregnant."

_SMASH!_

"Aw, Nick, that was my favorite mug!"

Ignoring the hot coffee that was staining the floor next to him, Nick shot up to his feet. This was a huge mistake, however, as Nick's headache immediately brought about a dizzy nauseous feeling as he swayed on the spot. Judy reached out to steady him.

"You okay?" she asked.

"You're what?" he blurted suddenly.

Judy looked up into his bright green eyes.

"I'm pregnant, Nick. Don't tell me you really can't remember."

"We're having a baby…"

"Or babies," Judy chimed in.

Nick ran a paw over his face before leaning in and gently resting his head against Judy's.

"You stink," she giggled.

Nick chuckled slightly as he silently agreed.

"Wow, we're having a baby."

"Or babies," Judy sang once again.

Nick gave her a look.

"Stop saying that, you're freaking me out."

"That's my job."

"Well, then, mission accomplished."


	31. Chapter 31

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh, quit whining and pull over!"

"This is stupid, Carrots."

"Ugh, you're stupid!"

Nick briefly turned to look at his girlfriend, who was currently comfortably seated in the passenger seat of their SUV, and narrowed his eyes.

"Did you just call me 'stupid?'"

"No–! Err–yes–! Kinda…?" Judy's fiery attitude came to a speedy halt as she attempted to explain herself, while Nick scoffed.

"What are you, like five years old?" the fox smirked.

"I'll have you know that I am a mature adult with perfectly good insults. Now, pull over!"

"You don't need pickles right now, Rabbit!"

Judy threw her paws in the air and dramatically flung her body back against her seat. Clearly defeated, she began to pout like a small child. Nick rolled his eyes as he focused on the road.

The two were currently making their way to Tundra Town, where their mission was to keep an eye on some polar bears who had recently been up to some "suspicious activity," as stated by multiple witnesses. Judy, now ten weeks pregnant, had begun craving pickles (of all things) on the drive over, sparking a small argument between the two. Nick usually would get her anything she wanted or needed, due to her precious situation, but this was the fourth time this week she had interrupted something somewhat important just for a craving.

That morning, she had broken down in tears because they didn't have any carrot cake in their apartment.

"When do we ever have carrot cake?" Nick had asked, shocked.

"I don't know, but we need some_ now_!" she had wailed in reply.

This whole conversation had taken place while Nick had been in the shower, as Judy couldn't wait for him, so rather, she decided to barge into the bathroom and tear down the shower curtain. Nick had screamed like a girl, but that hadn't stopped Judy from her onslaught about carrot cake.

Besides the new mood swings, cravings, and the occasional morning sickness, Judy's pregnancy was progressing fairly well. Of course, everyone knew of the couple's expectancy… well, everyone except Judy's parents.

She was a bit hesitant to tell the pair, as she was unsure of their reaction to her dating a fox, much less having children with him. Things were also a bit complicated to explain to her parents at the moment, since Nick and Judy weren't married. Nick had been planning to pop the question on Judy's birthday, but that was still months away, and he could tell that she was growing anxious about her parents not knowing. Neither one of the two wanted to tell Judy's parents about the pregnancy until they were married, but they couldn't wait much longer, or Judy would be too pregnant to lie to her parents. That was another wrench in the works: Judy didn't want to lie to her parents, which Nick didn't blame her for, but it sure didn't make things easier. On the other hand, Nick hadn't told his mother about the pregnancy either. In fact, he hadn't even told _Judy_ about his mother. Judy had dragged him up to meet her parents a little while after they had first met, where he had been introduced as her (work) partner and nothing more, but Nick had never gotten around to tell Judy about his family.

His father had died years ago from all of the stress that life had brought him, and with no siblings or other immediate family, it was just his mother left. He talked to her often, and she knew that he was involved with a sweet bunny named Judy, who also happened to work with him, but that was about it. Although Nick could be labelled as a "momma's boy," he hadn't exactly shared everything with mommy dearest. Nick groaned internally at the thought of telling his mother he was going to be a father, especially since grandchildren were the only thing Mrs. Wilde truly wanted. Telling his mother was another hurtle the couple had to overcome in such a short period of time, but that wasn't all: Nick still had to tell Judy about his mother.

Oh, how messy life could be.

The two drove on in silence for a few more minutes before coming to a stop along a dim snow-covered street.

"You're starving me to death on purpose," Nick heard Judy mutter under her breath.

"Starving you? Well, how dare I!" he exaggerated with paws flailing, making Judy smile slightly. "How on earth can a bunny survive without pickles? My God, I guess I didn't pay attention to the Bunny Manual as well as I thought I had!"

"Oh, shut up," Judy giggled.

"No, I'm serious! I hope you read the Fox Manual better than I read the Bunny Manual, or else we're in trouble," Nick laughed as he reached for the rabbit, pulling her closer.

"I just wanted some pickles," Judy sighed as Nick pulled her in for a quick kiss.

The weather outside was cold, but the small space inside their car remained a toasty warm as they conversed.

"Yeah, well I just want some peace and quiet after all of your nagging."

Nick heard Judy's sound of indignation and then soon felt the familiar dull thump of her fist punching him in the shoulder. He chuckled at her angry expression.

"Kidding," he smirked.

Nick then turned his attention back to the outside world, keeping his eyes out for anything suspicious. Judy quickly followed his lead. A few minutes passed as the two witnessed nothing but the glistening snow falling heavily just outside the glass. It was Nick who broke the silence.

"We need to talk."

"Uh–oh, are we breaking up?" Judy joked.

Nick gave her a smile before continuing.

"We have to tell your parents, Carrots."

Nick was setting up for the inevitable. Unbeknownst to Judy, Nick had actually already used her phone to message her parents and let them know that they were visiting this weekend, and that they had some big news. He had also let the Chief know, just in case there was a work emergency. In just two days' time, he would pack all of their things in the middle of the night, place them in the car, carefully put a sleeping Judy into the passenger seat, and begin the drive to her home. Nick could already hear Judy screaming at him for doing things behind her back, which Nick was ready to counter with the incident she had pulled with his birthday party just a few weeks ago.

"Nick, we've been over this, we can't tell them–"

"Until we're married, I know, but I think it's time to consider telling them before then," Nick sighed as he saw Judy's face fall. "Carrots, I know you want to do this right, but they're your parents. We can't keep lying to them. Plus, even if I proposed today, it would still be at least another month until the wedding."

"We can just have a quick wedding that only takes ten minutes at the courthouse."

"But I know that isn't what you want. I know you want all of your family to be there, and I want you to have the best night of your life, not a rushed ten minutes. And besides, I don't want to propose to you in this car. I want to surprise you and make it a huge deal in front of our friends and family."

"Really?"

Nick could see the joyful tears welling up in Judy's eyes.

"I know, doesn't sound like the usual Nick Wilde, but really," he smirked.

"You're right," Judy laughed. "The usual Nick Wilde would probably propose to me, get Finnick to steal the ring, and then you two would sell it for a better profit."

"Who said I wasn't still going to do that?"

Judy gave Nick another playful punch to the arm as he chuckled at his own sarcasm. A comfortable silence fell between them for a few seconds, until...

"What about your parents, Nick? When are we telling them?"

Nick froze. This was the one thing he had been dreading.

"Nick?" Judy asked, suspicious.

"Uh, we can't tell them because… they, well, because…"

Judy gasped and put her paws to her heart.

"Oh, Nick, I'm so sorry! I had no idea that your parents passed away!"

Oh no.

Nick's ears flattened to his head as he realized how his hesitation may have come across as sorrowful loss of family.

"No, Carrots, my parents aren't dead. Well, at least my mom isn't–whoa!" Nick exclaimed as he quickly shot up in his seat at the sight of two polar bears crossing the street in front of the SUV.

The pair then entered a dark building nearby, all while glancing around with stiff glares. Nick quickly grabbed his phone and began taking pictures, only to be interrupted by the sound of a car door opening.

"Hopps, what are you doing?" Nick hissed as he saw Judy slide from her seat onto the snow-covered sidewalk below her open car door.

"Come on," she commanded, beckoning with her paw.

"This is just an observe and record mission, Rabbit!" Nick exclaimed as he clamored from the car, while trying to keep up with Judy.

When he looked up next, she was already standing with her back pressed up against the dark building, hiding in the shadows. Nick huffed an agitated sigh before slinking over to her location.

"So, what's this about your mother now?" was the question that greeted him.

"Are you crazy?" Nick whispered angrily.

"Oh, stop whining. We can observe better from inside."

"_Inside_? Have you lost it?"

"_Shhhh_! Do you want to get caught? Come on."

Judy grabbed Nick's paw, and together they lurked through the shadows until they came upon the door the two bears had entered through. Judy began to inch the door open as quietly as she could manage, while Nick stood there, anxiety taking over.

"This is an awful idea," he whispered.

"No, this is a great idea," Judy grinned as she creaked the door open. "We are going to solve this case, and then I'm going to meet your mother. Win–win for everyone!"

Nick rolled his eyes as Judy chuckled devilishly. When the door was finally open wide enough, Nick tried to take the lead by entering the building first, but Judy shot in front of him. Nick suddenly grew very tense as an unfamiliar feeling crept through his body. Something wasn't right. He didn't like that Judy was going into this dark, decrepit, old building, especially since she was pregnant.

"Carrots!" Nick reached out and gripped Judy's arm before she was out of reach.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't like this," Nick shivered, but couldn't tell if it was from the cold or this new worried feeling he was having.

Judy rolled her eyes at him before prying her arm away.

"Nick, stop joking around."

She turned and began to enter the building again, but this time, Nick grabbed her arm and held onto it with all of his might.

"Let go," Judy whispered, a little annoyed.

"No, I don't like this at all. Something doesn't feel right. Let's go back to the car."

"Stop being ridiculous, nothing is going to happen."

"You don't know that. It's too dangerous for you."

"Why, because I'm pregnant?"

"Yes! Please, just go back to the car with me. Please, justknow when to quit, Judy."

Judy stood silent for a few moments, studying Nick's frightened eyes.

"Fine," she finally sighed. "Give me your phone and I'll call the Chief to let him know what we saw."

Grateful for her sanity and common sense, Nick released hold of her and then looked down at his pocket in search of his phone.

That's when it happened. That's when Judy took off into the building, leaving Nick out on the street with a stunned look on his face and his paw halfway in his pocket. That's when Nick felt the worried feeling grow; it spread like fire through his chest as his mind raced. He hadn't even had the chance to move when Judy's scream rang out into the street. That scream rang in Nick's ears as he made his way into the building with his blood pumping furiously, and that scream continued to ring in his ears when he came across the horrific sight that awaited him.

That scream would haunt Nick forever.


	32. Chapter 32

Nick had never been one to cry often, but that didn't mean he didn't cry at all. He cried when those Junior Ranger Scouts muzzled him once during his childhood, he cried when his father died, and he cried when Judy nearly had her throat ripped out by that silver fox almost a year ago, but now... he didn't cry at all.

Now, Nick blankly stared up at the ceiling of the ambulance as the vehicle quickly sped to the Zootopia Hospital. He was strapped to a gurney with tubes and wires going here and there. A mask was strapped to his face in order to help him breathe. In any other situation, he would have been highly anxious due to the feeling of being muzzled the mask was giving him, but right now, he wasn't even focused on how much of his blood was soaking into the bandages the antelope paramedics were constantly changing.

No, Nick was focused on Judy. Nick was focused on his girlfriend… his pregnant girlfriend… his pregnant girlfriend who was currently in a second ambulance on her way to the same place as him. A million questions flooded his mind as he stared at the white metal ceiling above his head. Did he get to her in time? How hurt was she? Was the baby okay? Were the babies okay? Her scream still echoed in his ears...

_"Stop being ridiculous, nothing is going to happen."_

_"You don't know that. It's too dangerous for you."_

_"Why, because I'm pregnant?"_

_"Yes! Please, just go back to the car with me. Please, just know when to quit, Judy." _

_"Fine… Give me your phone and I'll call the Chief to let him know what we saw." _

Then she was gone, dashing into the building without him. He heard her scream. He ran after her and –

Judy had been lying on the floor, a shallow, but large set of gashes in her left side. Above her, towered two massive polar bears, both snickering. In that moment, Nick realized that the entire thing had been a set up; the polar bears had known the police were tailing them, and they had waited patiently for a naive bunny to come bounding in, quickly followed by her improvising fox partner.

"Judy!" Nick had screamed before darting to her.

She had been holding a paw to her side to stop the little, but steady flow of blood from her wound. As soon as he reached her, Nick had placed a paw over hers, gently applying more pressure. Looking up to survey the room, Nick realized with horror that there were two more polar bears leaning against the wall just behind the first pair. It was then that another horrific thought dawned on him: they had never stood a chance, not against these four massive bears, but then again, that was probably the whole point...

Looking around once more, Nick noted that the room was dark, only lit by a few dim lights and the bright moon that was peeking through the windows, and that there were several boxes stacked around large tables and shiny cars. The building was a typical make-shift base of operations. One of the polar bears (the one that had been closest to Judy when Nick had first arrived) stepped forward, resulting in a low growl escaping from Nick's throat. Now in a protective stance around Judy, Nick glared up at the massive bear.

"Get back," he hissed.

The bear laughed a hearty chuckle that shook his shoulders. All of the bears were in sleek navy suits, giving them a very serious persona, and once the bear stopped laughing, he carefully smoothed his suit with a gigantic paw. That paw, Nick noted, contained claws that were stained by blood... Judy's blood.

"You made a stupid decision coming here, little fox," the bear spoke confidently. "We're about to show you exactly what happens when you mess with us."

In the minutes that followed, Nick was beaten down to nothing more than colors of black, blue, and purple, but he stood his ground, ensuring that Judy was not touched. However, his vision was beat from him after a certain period of time, and whether or not Judy was further injured, he was unsure. Other details were also fuzzy, such as how long the two had been in the building and who called for help. Did Judy call for help? If she did, did that mean she wasn't hurt too badly? These questions also haunted Nick as he continued to stare upward. Although Nick had wavered in and out of consciousness after too many hits, he remembered seeing Judy lying on the hard floor next to him in the building, seeing the paramedics arrive, seeing the Chief and hearing that everything was going to be okay from the massive cape buffalo, and seeing Judy being loaded into an ambulance, but none of these things made him feel better.

"_We didn't even have our tranquilizers_," Nick thought. "_We didn't stand a chance and I just let her go into that building. This is all my fault. Oh, God, please let Judy be okay. Please, let her be okay. This is all my fault_."

That last sentence played over and over in Nick's head on the way to the hospital until those five words were burned into his brain. Those five words eventually made Nick cry, even though Nick had never been one to cry often.

Once at the hospital, Nick was immediately taken through several different procedures and tests to determine exactly how much damage the polar bears had done. He never saw Judy, even though the first words out of his mouth were always along the lines of "have you seen my girlfriend? Is she okay? She's a little grey bunny. Please, she's two months pregnant," whenever he saw a nurse or a doctor. Eventually he was sedated for medicinal purposes.

Judy went through the same process Nick went through when she arrived at the hospital just a few moments after his arrival. Her injuries were lesser in extent, tallying up to four severe gashes (one of which went as deep as to expose a small portion of an unharmed rib), severe bruising, a broken humerus, and a broken clavicle, all on her left side. The rest of her body escaped primarily unharmed, with only a few scrapes and bruises here and there. Nick's injuries, on the other hand, tallied up to a ruptured spleen, three shattered ribs, a snapped leg, a total of five different sets of four severe gashes (almost all tearing into the lover levels of his muscles), and severe bruising all over his body. Judy remained awake for the entirety of the night's events, witnessing Nick's brush with death, the arrival of help, the trip to the hospital, and the treatment of her wounds. It didn't take long for Judy to be bandaged up, have her bones reset and cast, and to give her statement to the Chief about what happened, all while asking about Nick, only to receive awkward silence in reply.

By the time Judy had been comfortably placed in a hospital room for two, Nick had been taken to surgery to deal with his ruptured spleen and a few other complications with his internal organs that had arisen since his hospital arrival. In the room, Judy was informed of Nick's condition, which quickly broke her down in tears. On top of his sustained injuries, Nick had begun bleeding internally, which surgeons were attempting to counter at that very moment. The doctor, a stoutly little female badger, attempted to calm Judy by also letting her know that her babies were perfectly fine and that from what the ultrasound had revealed, her and Nick were expecting four little babies.

"_Four_ babies?" Judy had asked, incredulous.

"Yes, ma'am. Congratulations!"

"Ha, oh, Nick is going to love this," Judy had chuckled at the thought of Nick's reaction-to-come.

She remembered what he had said when she informed him about the possibility of having more than one baby.

_"Stop saying that, you're freaking me out."_

_"That's my job."_

_"Well, then, mission accomplished."_

The news did cheer Judy up slightly, but this joy quickly vanished when she was left alone in the room with an empty bed that Nick would later fill. Nick's surgery lasted almost three hours, resulting in Judy calling her parents and informing them of the incident.

"Yes, I'm okay, but could you two come down here?... Thank you... I love you too, see you soon... Bye."

Sighing heavily, Judy leaned back on the two large fluffy pillows that occupied her stiff hospital bed. Careful to not move her left side too much, Judy placed a paw on her abdomen.

"Hi, babies," she whispered. "It's mommy. Daddy isn't here right now, but he'll be here very, very soon, okay?"

Judy felt tears sting her eyes at the thought of Nick.

"I can't wait for you to meet him," she whispered as the tears spilled over and streamed down her cheeks.

Her head filled with thoughts of Nick:

_"…Officer...?"_

_"Hopps! Mr…?"_

_"Wilde, Nick Wilde."_

_…_

_"I think I – no, I know I–I love you. I love you, Nick."_

_…_

_"I love you, too, Darling."_

...

_"Yes."_

_"'Yes' what?"_

_"Yes, I'll be your girlfriend, Nicholas IDon'tCareWhatYourMiddleNameIs Wilde."_

_…_

_"Thank you"_

_"What for, Carrots? The kiss?"_

_"For letting me know when to quit."_

_…_

_"Then again, I'm already yours for life, right?"_

_…_

_"You muzzle me, but you know, in a good way. I love the way you muzzle me."_

_…_

_"Ha, I–I think the best–the best part is that–that we _totally_ had sex!"_

...

_"Nick, I'm pregnant."_

_"Wow."_

_…_

_"Please, just know when to quit, Judy."_

But she _didn't_ know when to quit, and that's what had landed them there in the first place.

"This is all my fault," Judy sobbed as she covered her face with her hands. "This is all my fault. This is all my fault. This is all my fault."

Outside, late night was turning into early morning, but it was nearly impossible to tell with the drizzle of rain that tainted the sky in a perfect grey. Outside, the world bustled as animals awoke to go to jobs or care for families, while a little bunny sat crying in a hospital bed, waiting for her fox to safety get out of surgery, which was taking place just upstairs.

"This is all my fault."


	33. Chapter 33

"Nick...? Nick?"

Nick had been returned to the hospital room he and Judy were sharing around 5:00 in the morning. Unfortunately, Judy had been falling asleep, and she had only been able to keep her eyes open long enough for the doctor to inform her that Nick's surgery had gone very well. Judy then didn't wake until late morning, hours later. She had nearly forgotten Nick was there, first checking her phone to see when her parents would arrive and then readjusting herself to a more comfortable position before she even glanced in his direction. He was still sleeping heavily, but she was hoping that he would wake soon. She needed to hear his voice, to know that he wasn't as badly injured as she thought he had been. When the gang of bears had finally stopped hitting Nick, they had left, leaving Judy (the only one able to walk at that point) to go back to their SUV and call for backup. When she had come back for Nick, blood was everywhere, making her absolutely sick to her stomach, but now, as she rested in a stiff hospital bed, she began to convince herself that things always looked much worse than they actually were in the first few minutes of an incident.

"Nick… Nick… Nick!"

Keeping her voice to a whisper, as not to startle him, Judy continued to call Nick's name.

"Nicholas Wilde, I don't care how hurt you are, you better wake up and tell me you're okay!"

Judy ranted quietly as she hoisted herself to a slouched sitting position on her large pillows. It was apparent that a nurse had come in and refilled Judy's painkillers sometime while she had been sleeping, as she now felt better than ever. Yes, her wounds still offered a dull ache and no matter what medicine she took, the pain in her arm would remain the same, but she genuinely felt much better; now she just had to see if Nick was feeling better too.

"_Nick_! Get up, Wilde, or I'll call your mother. Yeah, don't think I forgot about what you said. I know she's alive, and I _fully_ plan on calling her once I get a paw on your phone–"

"Carrots, Jesus, do you _ever_ stop talking?"

His voice was so low and husky that it was doubtful whether anyone but a bunny with keen ears could have heard it. Judy heard it, though, and it brought an instantaneous smile to her lips. She couldn't even reply at first, because she was just so happy to hear his voice, to _hear_ the smirk on his face that she knew was there.

"Carrots? You aren't over there calling my mom, are you?"

Judy giggled, tears now stinging her eyes once again.

"Afraid of your mother, Nick?" she mocked.

"Oh, most definitely. You should be too, considering all she has ever wanted is grandchildren, and since you're giving her just that, she's going to be all over you."

Just then, at the thought of Judy's pregnancy, Nick and Judy's eyes finally met. At first, Nick had been lost among a sea of blankets and pillows, his ears the only thing visible to Judy. Now, ever so slowly and painfully, Nick turned his head to the side and slightly up.

"Oh, Nick…"

Judy used her uninjured paw to cover her mouth at the sight of the fox. He was recognizable, but he looked like absolute hell. All covered in deep bruises and swollen cuts, Nick wouldn't be catching any ladies' attention for a while, but that didn't matter.

"Lemme guess, I look like crap?"

Judy nodded, a sad frown on her face. Nick mulled this confirmation over a little bit before replying.

"You gonna dump me now that I'm ugly, Carrots?" he grinned.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Judy replied with a smile of her own.

The playful conversation then took a turn down a slightly darker path as Nick's eyes skimmed over Judy's body, briefly pausing to assess her injuries and her abdomen.

"I'm fine," she stated when she saw his concern. "Actually, _we're _fine."

That brought a small smile to Nick's face again.

"My parents are coming down from Bunnyburrow soon. They had to find someone to babysit my siblings while they're away, but they should be here in a few hours."

"That's good."

"I'm going to tell them."

"That's not so good, but still good."

Judy chuckled slightly, and then glanced over Nick's injuries.

"How are you feeling?"

"Could be better, but not too bad. How about you?"

"I feel pretty good actually."

"I'm glad to hear it."

The two paused and smiled at one another, before Judy laughed.

"Why do all of the bad things always happen to us?"

"You said it yourself, our life is like one big movie."

"But don't you ever get tired of it?"

"Do you?" Nick's tone sounded slightly offended, as if he were hurt that Judy didn't like the chaos that came along with their life.

Judy glanced over at Nick and bit her lip in thought, trying to think of the best way to express her feelings. Nick beat her to the answer, however.

"I never get tired of it. I could watch our movie over and over again for hours. It's my favorite movie."

"Really?"

"Well, I mean, it's a close call between our movie and Kung Fu Panda 2, but yeah, I would say it's my favorite."

"You're ridiculous, but I agree," Judy giggled.

"Of course, you agree, Kung Fu Panda 2 was amazing."

"No, I mean I agree with the whole 'it's my favorite movie' thing!"

"Oh," Nick grinned as Judy continued to laugh. "So, what were you saying about my mother?"

"You should call her."

"I would if I hadn't become a polar bear's chew toy."

"I could call her for you."

"Thanks, Carrots, but I should probably be the one to call. My mother loves you, but she'd kill me if I wasn't the one to tell her what happened."

"I understand… Do you want me to call a nurse to get your phone for you?"

"Uh… We don't have to call her _right now_. And besides, I'm pretty sure my phone is broken."

"What do you mean?"

"I think I dropped it when I ran into the building. I'm not exactly sure, since my paw was in my pocket, but I think I accidentally dropped it then."

"I'm sorry, this was all–"

"Don't say it," Nick cut her off, his voice firm. "It wasn't. I've had a lot of time to think, and it wasn't your fault and it wasn't mine. I understand why you went into the building, and you understand why I tried to stop you, so let's just leave it at that."

With those words, Nick looked over and winked at Judy, making Judy blush slightly. Then, silence fell over the hospital room for the first time in almost half an hour, but it didn't last long.

"I really need to ask a question, but I'm honestly afraid to ask it," Nick sighed.

Judy's head perked up slightly, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't, she nudged him forward.

"What do you need to ask?"

For a moment, Nick closed his eyes, as if he already knew the answer and was absolutely dreading the moment when he would hear it.

"Is the baby okay?"

"You mean 'are the babies okay?'"

"No offense, Carrots, but now is really not the time to be freaking me out."

"No, Nick, it really is 'babies,' not 'baby.'"

Nick's eyes flew open and immediately found Judy's. His expression consisted of a mix between joy and pure fear.

"How many?"

Judy didn't reply, she just grinned at him evilly.

"Oh, Carrots, don't do this."

"Guess."

Nick's head shot up, but at the pain, he immediately rested it back down against his pile of pillows.

"Rabbit, did you just tell me to _guess_?"

"I did."

"You gotta be kidding me."

"You think it's adorable and you know it."

"Is it more or less than ten?"

"Good God, Nick, _ten_? You're joking, right?" Judy erupted into a fit of giggles.

"Okay, so less than ten. More or less than five?"

"Less."

"Okay, I'm liking these odds. More or less than three?"

"More."

That's when Nick went silent. Judy waited anxiously for his reply, trying to catch a glimpse of his face, only to be limited by her busted arm. It was almost a full minute later when she saw his ears perk up, making her anxiety disappear. Those perked ears could only mean one thing…

"We're having four babies," Nick laughed. "Wow, I can't believe it."

"I can't believe it either," Judy chuckled.

"Okay, Carrots, I've got a name for one of the kids. You wanna hear it?"

"Of course."

"Laverne."

"My middle name?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"If a kid's name is Laverne, then I get to name another Piberius."

"Okay, then we're agreed. At this point, none of the kids have names, because we are not naming a kid Piberius. God, do you want him to get bullied, Fluff?"

In that moment, the room filled with laughter. Both knew that it had been a very long time since either one had laughed as hard as they did now. Even at what seemed to be their lowest point, they found a time to laugh.

"I love you, Carrots."

"I love you too, Nick."

Just then, a small knock came at the door.

"Come in!" Judy called nonchalantly.

Much to both her and Nick's surprise, it was Judy's parents, Bonnie and Stu Hopps, who entered the room.

"Mom! Dad! You weren't supposed to be here for another hour or so," Judy exclaimed as her parents descended upon her with hugs, kisses, and worried expressions.

"We didn't want to have to wait any longer than necessary. We practically threw the sitter at your brothers and sisters!" Bonnie joked lightly.

"Now, Jude the Dude, what happened?" Stu inquired.

"We were attacked by polar bears," Nick chimed in cheerfully. "But we're fine now. Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Hopps!"

Judy's parents looked mortified. Judy shot a nasty look at a smirking Nick before turning back to her parents with a gentle voice.

"Mom. Dad. We're fine, okay? There is no need to worry."

"You're hardly 'fine!' I mean, look at you, Judy!"

"Dad, honestly, everything is okay–"

"How did this even happen, Judy? I thought you were being safe!"

"These things happen, Mom. There's no telling what can happen from day to day–"

"Well, you're right about that! You should come home immediately!"

"What–? No! You're being unrealistic, Dad–"

Just then, Nick and Judy's doctor, the stoutly female badger, entered the room with a small otter nurse by her side.

"Knock, knock. Mom, are we ready for our ultrasound?"

The room immediately went silent as those words filled the ears of all those present. Judy's mouth was agape as she looked at the doctor, who had become uncomfortably silent at the awkward reaction. Judy's parents were absolutely stunned, and frankly, speechless. The poor otter nurse who had been asked to assist the doctor that day stood shuffling her feet, embarrassed. It was Nick, of course, who broke the silence with his usual smirk-dosed voice.

"Well, _Mom_, are we ready for our ultrasound?"


	34. Chapter 34

"_Babies_, Judy? _Babies_? You are _not _old enough for this! You aren't ready!"

"Mom, I'm perfectly ready, this wasn't unexpected–well, it was, but that's not the point–"

"This is a big decision, Judy!"

"I know, Mom–"

"Who is the father?" Stu spoke up.

It was the first thing that Judy's father had said after the doctor's unexpected and badly timed arrival. This single question struck fear in both Nick and Judy's hearts, as they had no idea how to answer the question, and both let the room fall silent without a reply.

A few more awkward moments of silence had followed Nick's snarky comment after the doctor had arrived, before Nick eventually motioned to the doctor to continue as if nothing had happened, which she happily obliged. With that, the doctor began the ultrasound, and as soon as it had begun, Judy's mother had gone all in with every question and concern she could think of. In the end, it was Stu's first question that silenced the room once more, until the doctor interfered.

"Everything looks good, Mom. Would you like to see?"

Judy had nodded, a small smile on her face. From across the room, Nick had watched as the doctor readjusted the screen of the machine to allow Judy a better sight. He couldn't help but also smile as the doctor pointed out each of the four babies and the various little physical features among them. This was the first ultrasound of Judy's abdomen, and it was the first time both of them had seen their babies.

"And that's Baby Number 3's left foot," the doctor concluded cheerfully.

It only took a minute or two for the doctor to then readjust Judy back into a more comfortable position, pack up the equipment with the aid of the otter nurse, and exit the room, all while Judy thanked her and apologized for the weird situation. At the doctor's exit, Judy's parents wheeled back around and immediately began bombarding Judy with questions as soon as the door to the room has closed with a quiet click.

"How far along are you, Judy?"

"Ten weeks, but Mom–"

"_Ten weeks_? And you never even told us you were involved with someone!"

"I was going to tell you, but things got busy, Mom–"

"Oh, things are _always _busy, Judy! That's why you have to make time for your family! Do we not matter anymore?"

"Of course, you matter, Mom–!"

"When did you get married?"

The second question out of Stu's mouth silenced the room just like the first had. Judy's face flushed a deep shade of red.

"Well, the t-thing is, I'm not exactly m-married–"

"_Not married_! Judith Hopps, how could you be so _reckless_ and _irresponsible_–?"

"Bonnie, calm down for just a moment now. Judy, who is the father?"

There was the horrifying question again, but Judy knew it had to be answered sooner than later.

"Okay, l-look, you can't get mad at me for this," Judy stumbled. "He's v-very kind and–and, well–_Nick_!"

While stuttering out a reply to her parents, Judy had glanced over at Nick for support, only to find him _out_ of his hospital bed. He was limping horribly with his broken leg, using his bed and then the wall as support to balance his weight, and he was slightly bent over in pain from the surgery that had just taken place a little over four hours ago. Judy sat up in bed, immediately concerned and furious at the same time.

"Nick, what on Earth are you doing?"

Nick stopped her with a paw that he quietly placed to his lips in a hushing motion before turning to Bonnie and Stu Hopps. Despite the obvious pain he was in, Nick had a very friendly grin on his face. Limping the last few feet over to the couple, Nick used the end of Judy's bed to steady himself before holding out a paw for Judy's parents to shake.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hopps, it's very good to see you again," Nick stated pleasantly as he shook both parents' hands. "We met once a very long time ago. My name is Nicholas Wilde – please call me Nick – and I am your daughter's partner at work. As you can see, Judy has a habit of getting us into some trouble."

Judy's parents looked absolutely dumbfounded and concerned as Nick chuckled at his own joke, but the fox continued on despite the daggers Judy's eyes were shooting at him.

"I have known Judy for almost three years now. I have been friends with her for about two and half of those three years and I have dated her for about a year and a half of those three years, with some things overlapping, if you catch my drift. I understand that things are a little out of order here, but Judy and I _fully _intend on getting married, and I will be sure to ask you for permission to marry Judy before I propose, of course, because I still respect your decision in all of this. No, we did not plan for four little fur balls to come rolling into our life, but we wouldn't have it any other way. That's kind of a funny story how that happened, actually–" Nick paused, but then decided to take the conversation in a different direction after a quick glance in Judy's direction. "But, anyway! Life is messy, but we are dealing with it, and right now, I would like to ask you to leave, because I need to call my mother and inform her of all of this, and I think Judy needs a little bit of a rest. She is very tired, and we do not want to stress her out any more than necessary right now."

Nothing had prepared Judy or her parents for what Nick had said, but Judy still found herself smiling at his words. A fox who had just had surgery dragged himself from his bed, despite all of his pain, and had just kicked her parents out, all for her. Nick had honestly expected Judy's parents to yell at him for speaking to them in such a way, but much to his surprise, they simply smiled sweetly at him and began making their way from the room. It was Stu who turned and spoke before they left.

"We're staying at a hotel a few blocks from here. We'll check in later tonight, if that's okay."

"That would be absolutely wonderful, Mr. Hopps."

"Please, Nick, call me Stu; you've earned it," Stu said, then turned to leave, but looked back at Nick once more. "Oh, and son, I'm glad you are the father. I know you'll take good care of my daughter."

Behind him, Bonnie nodded her agreement. Giving Nick a gentle but firm pat on the shoulders, Judy's parents left, shutting the door behind them. Nick then turned to Judy.

"Wow, I'm going to be completely honest with you Carrots, I can't believe that worked."

"Nick, are you crazy?"

"I know, I know, I shouldn't have been so rude, but–"

"No, you shouldn't be out of bed!"

"I just kicked your parents out, and you are more concerned about how _I'm _feeling?" Nick chuckled.

"Get in bed!"

"I know, I know."

Nick carefully made his way over to Judy's bed, where he carefully nudged his way in next to her.

"Hi, Carrots," he whispered as he planted a kiss on her small nose, making her smile.

"You should be in your own bed," the rabbit chastised.

"Nah, this one is comfier. Can I borrow your phone real quick?"

Judy reached over to the small table next to her bed and handed him her cell phone, unlocking it before handing it over. Nick muttered a "thanks" before opening her dial pad and typing in a cell phone number. Putting the phone to his ear, he waited patiently for the other end of the line to be connected and answered. Judy watched and listened carefully. Finally, the receiver of the call answered the phone.

"Hi, Mom. How are you? … Good, that's good. I'm glad to hear it … Well, actually that's a funny story, Mom. Do you have a moment to talk? … Ha, I think the pie can wait, this is kind of important … No, no, I'm fine, but I do have to talk to you … You remember Judy, right? … I know you want to meet her, and you will soon, but we have to talk first … She's fine, Mom … No, I promise, just let me finish … I don't have an attitude! Mom, this is important!"

Nick glanced over at Judy and rolled his eyes. Judy mouthed "be nice," which he stuck his tongue out at before continuing.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, but please let me tell you this … Judy and I were in an accident–Mom, we are_ fine_! … I didn't lie to you, let me finish! … We were attacked by some polar bears while working last night and we are at the hospital right now … Honestly, it was pretty bad … A ruptured spleen, some broken ribs, a broken leg, and some scratches … Yeah, I'm going to be black and blue for a little while … She's okay, a broken arm and some scratches, though … Yes, I had surgery this morning for my spleen … Yes, I promise we're fine … Yes, you can come visit if you want, but I have to tell you something first … Judy is pregnant … She's about two months along … Of course, I'm the father, Mom!"

Judy let out a little audible gasp that she quickly stifled with a paw. Nick glanced over at her.

"Why is it that everyone related to you thinks I'm cheating?" Judy whispered, clearly offended.

Nick leaned in and kissed her forehead before mouthing something along the lines of "I love you" and "don't worry about it."

"Yeah, Mom … Uh-huh … It's four babies, not one… Ha, _I know, _Mom!"

That's when a big smile came across Nick's face, and much to Judy's surprise, he was on the verge of tears.

"I'm going to be a dad."

Judy smiled and carefully wrapped her uninjured arm around Nick, holding him close as he finished the conversation.

"I love you too, Mom … Okay, thank you … I'll tell her you said 'hello' … No, I won't tell her that … We'll see you soon… Goodbye."

Nick ended the call and set Judy's phone down next to him on the bed. He then turned to look at Judy.

"I'm going to be a dad."

"I'm going to be a mom."

"We are going to be parents."

Nick had never been one to cry often, but he cried now.


	35. Chapter 35

"Oh, and their little feet were _so_ cute!"

"Baby feet are always adorable, Dear."

"I wish you had been here to see the ultrasound."

"Oh, trust me, Honey, I wish I had been here too. Isn't that right, Nicholas?"

It was easy to see where Nick got his famous smirk, as the same smirk played across his mother's face easily when she threw the sarcastic remark toward her son. It was late in the evening now, and Nick and Judy had both just received more pain killers for their injuries. It was, of course, a simple "coincidence" when Nick's mother arrived just as the medicine went to work, making Judy feel better than ever. Arriving in a glorious finesse only she could pull off, Nick's mother had quickly kissed and hugged Nick in greeting. She had then turned to Judy with a large smile on her face.

"There's my daughter-in-law!" she had sung.

Within minutes, Judy _loved _Nick's mother; she had even sat up in bed and completely readjusted so that Nick's mother could sit with her. As soon as Nick's mother had become comfortable, and after her and Judy became the best of friends, they sparked up a discussion that could easily be labeled as "the baby conversation of the century." With an internal groan, Nick sunk into his bed that he had returned to earlier and tried to block out the force that was his mother. Now, Nick loved his mother, he really did, but when it came to things that made her happy… well, all hands on deck.

Judy's parents were going to arrive at about 7:30 that evening, which was still an hour away, and the fox and the bunny had already been talking for at least an hour and a half, so Nick was nothing but in for it at this point. Any chance that presented itself, Nick's mother would find a way to shoot a snide comment in Nick's direction, which Nick took with a spoonful of sugar.

"Yes, Mom, that is absolutely right. I would have called, you see, if I hadn't been busy bleeding to death," Nick stated lazily.

"Nick: always the drama queen," Judy laughed with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh, don't I know it, Sugar," Nick's mother laughed.

To describe Nick's mother, she was the definition of beauty; always in some lovely modest sun dress that would no doubt fit her figure perfectly. Time had most definitely been kind to Mrs. Wilde, and she showed that off with elegance. From the way she carried herself, it was clear that Mrs. Wilde was an independent, big-hearted, sassy fox who wanted nothing more than to see her son be happy. To Mrs. Wilde, Judy was the definition of happiness, especially if that happiness was in her son's life. That evening, Nick's mother had not only showed up in a gorgeous purple dress that fell around her amazingly and a smile that could charm any daughter-in-law, but she had also shown up with baby books and some of Judy's favorite snacks.

"These are for you, my Dear," she had said with a smile. "Nick told me you were a carrot farmer, so I assumed on some of these groceries, but I hope they help."

And just like that, Judy was putty in Mrs. Wilde's paw. In all honesty, though, Nick was quite glad that his mother and Judy were getting along so well. It was clear that Mrs. Wilde approved of Judy not only being Nick's wife-to-be, but also the mother-to-be of his children and her grandchildren.

"So, Judy, Honey, tell me how you and Nick met."

"We met through work."

"And you are a police officer too, correct?"

"Yes, I met Nick after he scammed me in an ice cream shop."

The conversation was briefly interrupted by Nick's laughter.

"The most romantic way to meet, I'm sure," he chuckled. "But seriously, Mom, I told you this already."

"Oh, I know," she stated with a wave of her paw. "But I like to hear the story, and besides, Judy could offer me a new perspective."

Judy couldn't help but smile with a nod of agreement. Nick's mother then insisted she continue.

"Well, he scammed me, so then I threatened to arrest him for tax evasion if he didn't help me out with this case that was really bugging me."

"The missing otter case, right?"

"Yes! Wow, Mrs. Wilde, you really do your homework."

"I do indeed, Dear, and let me just say that threatening tax evasion was such a genius move on your part."

"Thank you!"

"Just finish the story, Carrots," Nick rolled his eyes.

"Nicholas, don't rush her! You take your sweet time, Dear."

Another eye roll from Nick as Judy continued.

"We started working on that case and became good friends. I eventually got Nick to become an officer and here we are," Judy smiled.

"Oh, how I love that story!" Nick's mother grinned with a twinkle of love in her eyes. "Now, Nicholas, why am I just now getting the call that four sweet little grandchildren are on their way into my life?"

"Did you want me to call you right after we had sex?"

"Nick!" Judy gasped, her eyes glaring at him.

Nick's mother was unfazed, however.

"I would have liked to have found out when you found out."

"I find out on my birthday. If you had called, I would have told you."

"Someone's grumpy," Nick's mother smirked, which Nick smiled at. "I didn't call because you don't call me on my birthday."

"Mom, I don't even remember when your birthday is!"

"Then why should I remember yours?"

"Fair point," Nick stated with a painful shrug.

Judy laughed as she watched the ordeal. Judy had always had parents who loved her much like Nick's mother loved him, but it was slightly different. Her parents had always been overprotective to the point that they didn't really want her to follow her dreams, while Nick's mother had always let Nick express his wild side. Now, she felt as if she had a second mother who would always allow her to make her own decisions, and that comforted Judy. She knew that she would be bringing four babies into a world where all they would experience was love and laughter, and that was what mattered.

A small knock came at the door before it opened to reveal Bonnie and Stu Hopps.

"We aren't interrupting anything, are we?" Bonnie asked nervously.

Mrs. Wilde jumped to her feet.

"Not at all," she smiled as she extended her paw. "I'm Nick's mother. It's very nice to meet the parents of this amazing young lady."

"Thank you, we are very proud of Jude the Dude," Stu replied, winking at Judy as he did so.

Judy's parents had brought food for everyone, which they happily passed around. The night continued on in bliss as the two families ate and conversed. At one point, Judy caught Nick trying to get up out of his bed and crawl into hers again, so she stood and went to his bed.

"Why did you get up?" he asked after she sat down.

"My leg isn't broken and yours is. You have a screwed up spleen and I don't. I think I can afford to move. You, on the other hand, can't."

"It was that obvious I wanted to get up?" Nick chuckled before taking another bite of the burger Judy's parents had brought him.

Judy smiled and nodded.

"I know you get lonely over here."

She leaned in and kissed his forehead, which he pretended to think was a disgusting action, resulting in Judy giggling.

"They seem to be getting along," Nick stated as he gestured toward their parents, who were all seated at the small wooden table that was located in the corner of Nick and Judy's hospital room. All three seemed to be smiling, eating, and talking about various things.

"Yes, they do," Judy agreed. "I like your mother."

"I figured you would. She's a real animal pleaser."

"And I think my parents have always liked you, but they are a little taken aback by everything right now."

"That's understandable."

"Really? You aren't mad?"

"Carrots, why would I be mad? They are your parents. Of course, they are going to freak out and be worried and hate me for a little bit."

"They don't hate you."

"Even if they did, I wouldn't mind. Life is messy, right?"

Judy smiled at the mention of one of their famous life mottos.

"Life is messy," she agreed.

"And besides," Nick shrugged. "They brought me food, so I'm not complaining. Although, I prefer Griz's meals, ya know?"

"Ha, I do indeed. It's been a while since we've grabbed anything from the diner."

"We'll have to take the kids there one day. Griz would be ecstatic."

Judy grinned at the thought of a massive grizzly bear being excited to see four small fox-bunny babies. She absent-mindedly placed a paw on her small baby bump, which Nick noticed, smiling as he did so.

"So, what's the plan for work, Carrots?"

"Well, I hate to say it, but I'm probably going to be released from the hospital long before you do."

"Ugh, I was hoping you wouldn't bring that up."

"It'll be okay, though."

"I don't like you working alone."

"I'll just be hanging around the offices. I'm not really up for any big cases after this whole ordeal."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Okay, then. Hopefully, I'll be out sooner than expected."

"It takes about six to ten weeks for a broken bone to heal, and we'll be able to leave long before that. The scratches and bruises will fade eventually. I'm just worried about your spleen and maybe your ribs."

Nick waved a paw at her and dismissed her words.

"Nah, I'm fine. I'm just a bit sore is all. What does the Chief think about all of this?"

"He thinks we are absolute idiots for going into that building without calling for back-up, but he's glad that _all _of us are okay."

"All of us? He really cared about the babies too?"

"He has a bigger heart than he lets on, you know."

"I'll believe it when he stops making me tense every time he walks into the same room."

"With those standards, you'll never believe it," Judy laughed.

"Judy, Dear, come here and let me get a look at that growing tummy of yours!" Nick's mother called from across the room.

"You better go before she comes over here and breaks my other ribs thinking I told you to ignore her," Nick snickered.

With a sly smile and another kiss on Nick's forehead, Judy stood and made her way over to the table. Once there, she carefully lifted the hospital gown she was required to wear just enough to show her abdomen. Although both her and Nick had to wear the gowns, they both had clothes on underneath, which they had had Finnick stop by to drop off earlier in the day, as he was the only other person with a key to the couple's apartment (for emergencies). Nick was wearing his boxers and a pair of dark green sweatpants under his gown. For Judy, it was her bra, panties, and a comfortable pair of light gray athletic shorts. When Judy lifted her gown, everyone got a good view of her abdomen that had swollen into a perfect tiny baby bump. For Nick, he also got a good view of Judy's amazing cottontail butt in athletic shorts, which he responded to with a sexual whistle that made Judy yell at him before laughing. Nick continued to stare at Judy's butt as his mother went on about how amazing she looked so far and how happy she was, while Judy's parents commented as well.

That's when Nick saw it: a dark spot on Judy's shorts, just between her legs. Nick was out of bed in an instant, painfully limping his way over to Judy. Everyone looked up at him in surprise, Judy dropped her gown back down, and both she and Nick's mother were telling him to get back in bed. Careful of her broken arm, Nick looped an arm around Judy's waist and pulled her back over to the bed. She squealed as he gently tossed her in the bed and pulled the sheets up to her stomach.

"Nick, what in God's name are you doing–_Nick_!"

Judy's face flushed a deep shade of red as Nick put one of his paws under the sheets and down into her pants. Not saying a word, he removed his paw and held it up in the air, showing her. The tips of his paw were a shade darker than they usually were, and they were glistening as if they were wet. The color drained from Judy's face.

"I-is that–?"

Nick turned to his mother quickly, his eyes wide and his heart beating rapidly.

"Get a doctor. She's bleeding."


	36. Chapter 36

"It's okay, Judy. Judy, look at me, it's going to be okay."

Nick firmly gripped Judy's unharmed paw with his bloody paw. His face was only centimeters from hers, both of their eyes wide with fear. Judy was practically shaking, her eyes filled with tears.

"This is all my fault, Nick. I did this. I did something–"

"Judy, no, it's going to be okay, I promise. We are going to get through this, okay? Take a deep breath and relax–"

"I can't relax, Nick! What if something's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong."

"Something is clearly wrong!"

Judy squeezed Nick's paw tightly, holding it close to her chest. Nick's mother was gone, probably running and calling out for help. The door was open, and Nick could hear the commotion she was starting outside, but he wasn't focused on that right now. Judy's parents were on the other side of the bed; Bonnie was gently stroking Judy's ear, while Stu rested his paws on Bonnie's shoulders reassuringly. Both had grave looks on their faces, but said nothing, letting Nick do all of the talking.

"Nick, I'm scared," Judy whispered, tears escaping her eyes now.

Nick's voice caught in his throat, completely unsure of how to respond. Instead, he quickly turned and looked back at the door.

"Somebody get a damn doctor!" he hollered into the hallway before looking back at Judy. "Don't be scared. It's going to be okay. Here."

Nick briefly lifted up the sheets covering Judy and glanced under her hospital gown. The sight that met him made him quickly drop the sheets.

"What? What is it?" Judy asked quickly.

"Don't worry, the doctor is on the way."

Just then, Judy and Nick's doctor came running in with a team of nurses. Nick backed up, letting the doctor work, but he kept his paw intertwined with Judy's.

"Okay, Judy, I think we're having an issue with your placenta," the doctor informed the room after a quick examination. "Let's get you up to surgery. Quickly, now."

In an instant, Judy and Nick's paws were separated as her bed was quickly wheeled out of the room and up to one of the operating rooms on the floor above. Nick stood and watched her go, his breathing shallow and rapid. When he had looked under those sheets, all he had seen was blood, and for all he knew, that could have been the last time he would ever see her again.

"Let's get you into bed, sir," a kind antelope nurse stated to Nick, trying to lead him to the bed.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"We're doing everything we can."

"I don't want to lie down."

"I understand, sir, but it is the best thing for you right now. It wouldn't help her if you injured yourself more."

Not wanting to cause trouble, Nick did as he was told and slid back under the sheets of his stiff hospital bed. At this point, Nick's mother had reentered the room and was by Nick's side, trying to comfort him.

"Mom, what if something happens to her? Or the babies? I couldn't live with myself if I lost even one of them."

"It's not going to come to that. Judy is a strong rabbit; no matter what this is, she'll make it out with those babies in perfect health."

Nick ran a paw over his face. He could feel that weird sensation that something wasn't right building up in his chest again, and he didn't like it. Last time he felt this way, both he and Judy ended up in the hospital due to a bunch of violent polar bears.

Judy's mother, Bonnie, was crying now. She was sitting at the little wooden table in the corner, her paws covering her face. Stu stood over her with a pained expression, his paws still resting on her shoulders. Nick knew that they were worried, scared, and overall upset, but he couldn't help but feel slightly angry at them. After all, they hadn't even been there for Judy in the last few years.

"_Stop that, they're her parents. They could disown her and kick her out, and then cry when she was hurt and that would still be okay_," Nick thought.

Shaking these thoughts from his head, Nick attempted to think of the reasons why Judy would start bleeding so heavily for no apparent reason, why her placenta was suddenly an issue, but he came up with nothing except the event with the polar bears.

Minutes, then hours passed by, but still no news of Judy's condition. Nick's mother paced about, Judy's mother cried until she couldn't anymore, Judy's father never said a word, and Nick remained in bed, trying to calm himself down. It was 1:00 in the morning before anything happened. When the doctor opened the door to the room, everyone immediately looked up with expectant eyes.

"It was the placenta, more specifically placenta praevia, which means that the placenta was too low down on the uterine wall. It's rare, but not necessarily uncommon in the early stages of pregnancy. Fortunately, we were able to stop the bleeding and readjust things, but she's going to need some serious bed rest over the course of the next few weeks. We'll do an ultrasound in the morning in order to check to see if everything is still running smoothly, and we'll check up on her a few times overnight, but she's going to be just fine. We'll bring her down in just a minute."

"Oh, thank God," Nick breathed.

He would have collapsed if he weren't already situated in a bed. The feeling in his chest subsided, but he still felt very concerned, even if Judy was going to be okay. Judy's parents let out heavy sighs of relief, Bonnie's being more of a sob than a sigh, and Nick's mother embraced Nick tightly.

"I told you she was going to be okay," she whispered to him before releasing him and going over to comfort Judy's parents.

When they wheeled Judy's bed back into the room, she was sound asleep. Nick couldn't help but think her adorable while she slept, even at a time like this. Judy's parents smothered her in gentle kisses as soon as the nurses and doctors left the room. Bonnie was crying once again. After a few minutes, Nick's mother spoke up.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hopps, you should go home and rest for the night. Judy won't be awake for hours, and if anything happens, I'll be sure to contact you immediately. I live on the other side of town, so I'll stay here tonight."

Both parents looked a little hesitant to leave, but it was Stu who finally decided that waiting around and becoming more sleep deprived wasn't going to do anyone any good.

"Thank you, that is very kind of you," he replied, slowly pulling his wife away from Judy so she wouldn't suffocate her with affection.

"We will be back first thing in the morning," Bonnie said as she hugged both Nick and his mother goodbye.

With that, the two went back to their hotel to gain some well-deserved rest.

Once they were gone, Nick's mother came and sat on the small pull-out couch that rested against the wall next to Nick's bed.

"Does this sort of thing, uh, happen often, Nicholas?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, something bad happens, and then something else bad happens. Does that happen often?"

Nick laughed and nodded.

"It does."

"Well, I blame you."

"I expected nothing less."

"You should keep her from danger."

"I couldn't exactly stop her placenta from bleeding, Mom."

"Oh, you know what I mean!"

"I do, and I try to keep her from danger as often as I can, but she's a bit of a wild card, you know?"

"I would know if you called me more often."

"Mom, I talk to you almost every day!"

"I would like if that 'almost' was a definite thing, Nicholas! And now that I have four grandchildren, I want pictures and videos."

"Of what?" Nick laughed.

The conversations he and his mother had always included her criticizing him and then demanding something.

"Of your babies, Nicholas! I want to see their first steps, their first words, and don't think I don't want to be there for every holiday, birthday, and half birthday!"

"Half birthday? Now you're just making excuses to see me," Nick smirked.

"Seeing me more wouldn't kill you."

"I'm already in a hospital, aren't I?"

"Oh, hush!"

Nick's mother picked up a pillow off of the couch and threw it in Nick's direction, making them both laugh.

"So," his mother sighed. "When are you going to marry this girl?"

"I have no idea," Nick said with a shake of his head. "I don't want to make her marry me while she's pregnant, because I want her to be comfortable and happy on the day of the wedding, which a pregnancy can interfere with. Plus, we are going to be pretty banged up for a while, which I don't need in my wedding pictures."

"So, why not marry her after the babies are born?"

"I guess we could do that."

"Oh, the little boys would look so handsome in their little tuxedoes!"

"How do you know we aren't having four girls?"

"Honey, I'd bet money that you're going to have at least one little boy, and I bet he'll be quite the troublemaker, just like you."

"Nah, if I had to bet, I'd say he would end up just like Judy."

Nick's mother laughed.

"That wouldn't a bad thing at all," she said with a big smile, glancing over at Judy lovingly.

"You really like her, don't you, Mom?"

"Much more than that last skank you dated."

Nick's eyes widened as he let out a hoot of laughter.

"Ouch! Okay, okay, I deserve that. She was a bit crazy," Nick admitted.

"'She was a bit crazy' is a huge understatement when comparing her to Judy," Nick's mother said through pursed lips.

Nick glanced over at his sleeping life mate, who was curled up into a small ball of fur, her large floppy ears nearly covering her face.

"She's the one, Mom."

"She better be the one! She's got my grandchildren in her! I'll let you know right now, if you leave her, I'm disowning you and adopting her."

At this, Nick roared with laughter, despite the agonizing ache that emanated from his broken ribs. Once his laughter had subsided, his mother shook her head and smiled.

"Your father would have been so proud."

"You really think so?"

"I know so, Nicholas. He would have loved Judy. He would have killed you for getting her pregnant without marrying her first, though."

"Ha, that was Dad for ya."

"But he would have been very proud of you."

"Thanks, Mom."


	37. Chapter 37

"Oh, no, Mrs. Wilde, I'm perfectly capable of walking–"

"My Dear, you'll never get better with that attitude! Now, have a seat."

"Really, I insist that I walk–"

"And I insist that you sit."

"Mrs. Wilde–"

"_Sit_."

"Yes, ma'am."

Feeling like a child, Judy sat in the wheelchair that Nick's mother had made such a fuss over obtaining. On Judy's bed sat all of their items, as well as all of the gifts the couple had been brought during their recovery, packed in several different bags in various sizes. It was nearly noon, and Nick was currently at the reception desk, signing all of the needed forms to complete the process of checking them out of the hospital. After spending nine and a half days in the hospital, the couple was more than happy to be going home. After Judy's bleeding scare, the couple had recovered nicely and had been lucky enough to leave within a span of two weeks and to leave together. Within the time of their stay, Judy and Nick had endured a few physical therapy sessions to work out their stiff limbs, several different visitors for hours at a time, Nick's mother, several nurses and doctors always asking the same questions, and a few really crappy hospital meals. When they had finally received the news that they were free to go home, they had been more than relieved. Judy had packed the majority of their things, while Nick had bothered her the entire time. When it finally came time to leave, Nick's mother had demanded that Judy be placed in a wheelchair on the journey from their hospital room to their SUV that had been brought and left in the hospital's parking lot by another ZPD officer days before. Although Judy was perfectly capable of walking, she allowed Mrs. Wilde to baby her. Judy's parents had left the day after her surgery, as the sitter was really struggling with the mass of her siblings, so it was Nick's mother who played the parent game for both her and Nick, which she was more than grateful for.

"Mom, she can walk."

Judy looked up and smiled at the sight of Nick, who was standing in the doorway. He was on crutches now due to his broken leg. His nearly healed ribs still ached slightly, but the incision from his surgery and the bruises were nearly gone, making him look like the same old Nick Wilde she knew. She remembered dressing him that morning when they were finally able to remove the prison uniforms they had come to know as hospital gowns. Both had been very slow in dressing, as they were still sore and stiff in several different areas, but they had accomplished it. Nick hadn't been able to button up his famous green Hawaiian shirt because of his broken leg, which prevented him from staying balanced long enough to button the shirt up all of the way, and since it was too painful to sit down and then stand back up, Judy came to the rescue.

"Those are looking better," she had said as she noticed the healing gashes that covered his upper body as she buttoned the shirt with her good paw.

The bandages had been removed from a few of the gashes on both of their bodies, but not on some of the worse ones. It was apparent that they both would have some pretty nasty scars for a very long time, but Nick said they were "sexy," so Judy didn't complain.

"I know she can walk. I'm not blind, Nicholas," Nick's mother replied haughtily.

"Then let her get up from the chair."

"Nicholas, how insensitive are you that you'd make your pregnant life mate walk when she doesn't have to?"

"She's only eleven weeks pregnant, Mom."

"Almost twelve!" Judy chimed in with a smile.

Nick looked down at her and grinned.

"Hey, Carrots."

"Hi, Nick."

"How ya feeling?"

"Great! You?"

"Better now that I've seen you. Come on, let's go home."

With everyone carrying a bag of belongings, Mrs. Wilde wheeled Judy out of the hospital, while Nick limped along on his crutches.

"I missed our car," Judy commented once they arrived to their large black ZPD SUV.

"Me too," Nick agreed as he took the bag Judy was holding and threw it into the back seat.

Once everything was packed into the back, Nick tossed the car keys to Judy.

"You're driving, my leg's broken."

"Nicholas, I am perfectly able to drive you two home."

"I know Mom, but you won't."

"Why not?"

"Two reasons," Nick began nonchalantly. "First, it's Judy's left arm that is broken, and she's right-pawed. She can manage driving with one paw; I've seen her drive with her feet before, so I know she can do it. Second, I don't want you driving my car."

"Uh, it's _my _car, Nick," Judy stated with raised eyebrows.

Nick rolled his eyes before he wheeled Judy over to the driver's side of the car. After opening the car door and leaning his crutches against the car, Nick swept Judy up into his arms and placed her in the driver's seat. Grudgingly, Nick's mother agreed that Judy could drive, but only if she could follow them to their home and help them get settled.

"Agreed!" Judy shouted from her seat before Nick could object.

With a smirk that read "I won," Mrs. Wilde kissed her scowling son on the cheek and gave Judy a big hug. The couple waited for her to get into her car before Judy started the SUV and began the drive home.

"Carrots, let's get these jams rolling," Nick stated as he turned on the radio to one of their favorite stations.

"It's been so long since we've been home, or to work. I'm excited to be out of the hospital," Judy smiled.

"You know you are staying home, right?" Nick asked, somewhat hesitant.

"I'm going back to work, Nick."

"Nuh-uh, Carrots. You're staying home for a few more days."

"Nice try, but I already talked to the Chief, I'm back to work with you first thing tomorrow morning."

"_Tomorrow_? Isn't that a bit soon?"

Judy threw a curious glance in Nick's direction.

"If I could, I'd be on my way to work right now."

"I believe it. Tomorrow morning it is," Nick sighed.

A few minutes later, they were pulling into the parking lot that sat in front of the apartment building they lived in. Judy hopped out of the car and helped guide Nick from his seat before they began unloading their bags. Nick's mother was more than happy to carry things, and before too long, the three were standing in front of Judy and Nick's apartment. Nick pulled out his key and put it into the lock, opening the door.

"Home sweet home!" Judy cheered as she flicked on the lights.

Surfaces were covered in a thin layer of dust, but otherwise, their apartment was the same old same old: one bedroom, one bathroom, a combined kitchen and living room, and one hallway to connect it all together. Taking a look around, a thought entered Judy's mind. Nick was arguing with his mother about where to put their packed items when he noticed a peculiar look on Judy's face.

"Carrots? You okay?"

"It's too small."

"What's too small?"

"The apartment."

At her words, Nick looked around and saw what she saw. The apartment was no longer a large place that the two of them shared; it was now a small area of space that would never fit six animals.

"Oh," Nick sighed. "Right."

"We'll just have to go home hunting then," Nick's mother laughed, making Judy smile again. "We can start looking after you two start work again. Now, where does this bag go?"

Nick's mother helped them unpack all of their belongings, all while commenting on the apartment or some other aspect of the couple's life. She also managed to throw a few choice comments at Nick, who easily tossed out rebuttals to them. It wasn't until late evening that she left, kissing and hugging the two before her exit.

"Call me if you need anything, Judy!"

"I will! Thank you, Mrs. Wilde," Judy smiled as she closed the door behind the elegant fox.

With a sigh, Judy then turned to Nick.

"We're home," she laughed quietly as she rested her back against the closed door.

"And finally alone," Nick muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh, stop. Your mother is wonderful."

"I know, I know. Quit lecturing me."

"Ha, am I becoming the new Mrs. Wilde?"

Nick stood up from his spot on the couch and made his way over to Judy, limping slowly without his crutches. Coming into her personal space, he rested a paw beside her head on the door.

"In that way, no… but in another way, yes."

"What does that mean?"

"I just mean that before too long, you really will be taking the title of Mrs. Wilde."

A large grin broke out on Judy's face. She gave Nick a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'm glad to hear that."

"You act like I wasn't going to eventually ask."

"To be honest, I was pretty worried, so I started thinking 'what's a way I can get him to ask me to marry him?' and then I thought 'well, duh! Get pregnant!'"

Nick couldn't help but laugh, watching the bunny's facial expressions as she made her joke.

"I love when you smile," he commented.

"Thank you, I picked this smile out myself," Judy grinned.

"Alright, Mrs. Wilde, I see you're in a good mood. How about we take this to the bedroom?"

"You know we are both too sore for that."

"Yes, but I bet I can still make you scream."

"_Nick_!" Judy's face flushed a deep shade of red at the comment, making Nick laugh. "That was horrible, but I do have to admit that you are looking very handsome with those bruises almost healed."

"What, you like my battle scars, Rabbit?"

"I have to say I do."

"Well then come on," Nick smirked and extended his left arm for Judy to take hold of with her right.

"Oh, how gentleman like."

"You know me, all gentleman."

Judy giggled as she looped her arm through his. Together, the two made their way down the hallway and into their bedroom, where the door shut with a satisfying click.


	38. Chapter 38

"Today is the _best_ day of my life!"

"Carrots! Keeps your paws on the wheel before you kill us!"

"Oops, sorry."

Judy quickly placed her paws back on the wheel after having them in the air due to excitement. It was just a little past 6:00 in the morning; the two were on their way to work and Judy was absolutely ecstatic for a number of reasons.

"Today is our first day back and the first day of my twelfth week. Do you know what that means?"

"You're going to be talking all day?"

"Yes! No–! I mean, stop that! I meant that I'm almost through my first trimester. Just a few more days and one-third of my pregnancy is over!"

"Whoopee."

"I'm just _so _excited."

"Really? I couldn't tell."

"You know what, Grumpy? I'm going to let that one slide."

"That's new."

"How about we get some coffee?"

"From our favorite coffee shop?"

"Of course."

"Yes! Love you, Carrots!"

"Ha, whatever."

Judy had barely put the SUV in park before she jumped out of her seat. She then practically dragged Nick from the car, who wasn't objecting, as a good cup of coffee always convinced him. Once inside, Nick ordered two medium coffees (Judy wasn't allowed to order coffee anymore due to the fact that she couldn't handle so much power) and the two sat at their favorite booth in the very back of the café. Their shift didn't start for another hour, but Judy was a serious morning animal, and the two loved to sit and talk in the café when time allowed them to.

"How are you feeling?"

"Really great! Almost all of my symptoms have stopped for the time being."

"They honestly weren't that bad to begin with."

"I know! Isn't that just _amazing_?"

"Did you slip something in your coffee when I wasn't looking? Or did you arrange this setup where when I order you a medium coffee, they actually give you something way stronger? You know you can only have decaf, Carrots."

"I'm just _really _excited for today."

Nick smirked at the jittery bunny, and although it seemed impossible, he couldn't help but love her even more. A quick glance down at her abdomen reminded him of just how amazing Judy really was.

"You're getting pretty big, Carrots."

"I'm not fat, Nick!"

"I didn't say you were fat," Nick chuckled.

So far, Judy had gained about five pounds, and her baby bump showed no matter what outfit she wore now, and as far as Nick could tell, almost all of her symptoms had stopped. She was still moody at times and definitely craved weird things like pickles now and then, but everything else had stopped. She had been nearly symptom-free for almost three days. The fact that Judy was almost done with her first trimester worried Nick immensely for several reasons. He, of course, didn't like her working, no matter how pregnant she was, and he was starting to feel the pressures of becoming a father. In just six months, he would be legally and morally bound to four fox-bunny babies, and that was beginning to weigh on him. How could he be a father? He had never been responsible in his life.

"You ready to go?" Judy asked, catching Nick's vacant expression. "Nick?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were ready to go."

"Uh, yeah. Let's go."

"You okay? You seem kind of out of it."

"I'm fine. Let's go."

Slightly concerned, Judy stood and followed Nick back to the SUV, their coffees in hand. They were still going to be pretty early to work, but neither one of them really cared; no one was going to punish two officers for caring about their work to the point that they showed up early. Moments later, Judy seemed to forget all about Nick's weird behavior when they pulled into the ZPD parking lot.

"I'm kinda nervous," Judy chuckled as she put the car in park. "It's been so long."

"Got cold feet, Carrots?"

"Ha, you wish!"

Nick jumped out of the car, limped over to Judy's side with one crutch under his arm to help support him, and helped her out. Paw in paw, the two began making their way along the sidewalk to the entrance.

"Your tie is crooked, Nick."

Nick was wearing his police uniform, but unfortunately, Judy didn't fit into hers anymore. This was a revelation that had occurred to her that morning when she couldn't button her pants, keep her shirt all the way down, or close her vest. Judy had cried, actually, and Nick had been forced to convince her that she didn't need a uniform to enjoy her first day back to work. Minutes later, Judy was chipper as ever, stating that it was "the _best _day" of her life.

Oh, the joy of mood swings.

Once at work, Judy was planning to talk to the Chief about handling the problem, but for the time being, she wore black leggings and a somewhat large purple shirt.

Nick adjusted his tie just as the two pushed through the glass doors, where a shriek met their ears with a deafening shock.

"JUDY!"

"Hi, Clawhauser!" Judy giggled as she dragged Nick over to the large cheetah, who was seated at the reception desk as usual.

Nick rolled his eyes.

"'Hello' to you too, Big Guy."

"Oh, Nick, hi! Judy, come here and give me a hug!"

Grinning as she did so, Judy let Clawhauser sweep her into an enormous embrace that took her feet off of the ground. Nick felt slightly uncomfortable as he watched the action, but remained silent as the two caught up with one another.

"Ha, watch the baby bump, Clawhauser. You're going to crush me!" Judy giggled.

"Oops, sorry!" Clawhauser exclaimed as let Judy down gently before offering her a donut out of a box that was nearly empty. "I just got these this morning. Here, have one."

All of a sudden, something inside Nick put him on edge. If asked, he would never be able to explain it, but it was the same feeling that he had had before the polar bear incident, that feeling he had had when Judy's placenta had started bleeding, that feeling he had had when he thought about being a dad, and that feeling he had had when Clawhauser hugged Judy just a moment before. It was like a balloon in his chest that filled with air unexpectedly; a sign that seemed to say, "something is getting ready to happen." He couldn't tell if the feeling was bad or good, but he didn't like it at all. Just then, Judy gave the donut being offered one look and immediately held a facial expression that seemed absolutely disgusted. That feeling still haunting him, Nick took one look at Judy's face and without thinking, snatched up the trashcan sitting just behind the reception desk and held it out just in time for her to vomit in it.

"Morning sickness is back," Nick shrugged as he rubbed Judy's back. "Sorry, Clawhauser, I don't think she's hungry."

Glancing down at Judy, who was still retching in the trashcan, Clawhauser looked guilty, as if he had done something wrong or as if he could do more to help, but he nodded knowing it was just her pregnancy. Still holding the trashcan for her, Nick waved a farewell to the cheetah, who was still standing awkwardly with the box of donuts, and led Judy to the bathrooms. It was at least ten more minutes before Judy was able to pull herself together enough to speak.

"Well, that sucked," she gasped.

Nick couldn't help but chuckle.

"You're the one who jinxed it with all that "today is the _best _day of my life" crap."

Judy fought against her gag reflex and won before replying.

"I don't sound like that."

"If you really think that, then you're in for a shock."

Nick felt the familiar feeling of Judy punching his shoulder, but this time, she didn't put too much energy into it.

"How did you know I was going to get sick?" she grumbled.

"I didn't."

"But you had the trashcan."

"Oh, well," Nick shrugged. "I just had a weird feeling and then I grabbed it."

Judy shrugged in response and recomposed herself.

"We have to go talk to the Chief."

"Hold on there, Sicky, go wash your mouth out first."

After Judy cleaned herself up, the two made it up to the second level of the ZPD and knocked on the Chief's office door.

"Come in," came Chief Bogo's gruff voice from beyond the door.

Upon entry, the couple found the massive cape buffalo seated at his desk.

"Well if it isn't Miss ICanDoWhateverIWant and her boyfriend, Mister ICan'tStopHer!" the Chief began.

Nick slouched down into an office chair, while Judy remained standing with her paws behind her back.

"Good morning, Chief. We were just–"

"Where's your uniform, Hopps?"

"I, uh–well, it doesn't fit," Judy replied nervously.

"Excuse me?"

"She's too fat for her clothes," Nick interjected.

Judy fixed him with a dirty stare before turning back to the Chief and hesitantly shrugging her agreement.

"Wonderful," the Chief muttered. "We'll get you a new one. Now, Hopps: you're taking calls. Wilde: In the field today; I've got a case for you."

"_What_?"

It was Nick who reacted first as he jumped to his feet. Judy had a shocked look on her face, and had gone completely silent, but Nick continued.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me," the Chief barked.

"Chief, you can't separate us," Nick argued. "We're partners."

That balloon in his chest was filling with air at a rapid pace as he felt his anger rising.

"Not anymore," the cape buffalo replied easily.

This time, it was Judy who countered first.

"You're splitting us up?"

She looked close to tears. To her, this was the end of the world. Nick had been her partner for years, and when they finally took a large step in their relationship, everything else seemed to fall apart.

"Just for the time being," the Chief amended at seeing the look on Judy's face. "It's not permanent, Hopps. The way I see it, you aren't capable of working in the field in your current condition. Nick is, broken leg and all. No use in making a perfectly capable officer sit around."

"I should be with her, she needs me right now."

"She doesn't need you to take calls and staple papers, Wilde!"

"I'm not leaving her alone, Chief."

"This is not up to you! You saw what she did with the last case!"

"In all fairness," Judy interrupted. "I made a perfectly normal decision."

"Normal?" Nick scoffed. "You were almost killed, Carrots!"

"But did you die, though?" Judy shot back.

Nick's eyes were wide, and his paws were in the air; a stance that read "are you kidding me?" Judy quickly moved on.

"What about Nick?" she said, now focused back on the Chief. "He can't be in the field alone."

"He won't be."

Nick's interest perked as he also turned back to the Chief.

"You're assigning me a new partner?" the fox asked, astounded.

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Her."

With his reply, the Chief gestured toward the office door that had been left ajar. Standing in the doorway was a female red fox dressed in a police uniform that flattered her gorgeous figure. Her eyes were sharp, a light blue filling her irises. She was casually leaning against the doorframe, a smirk on her face. It was clear that she had been there for a while, listening to the whole discussion. Judy felt her jaw clamp shut as she noticed Nick's expression, which was that of pure interest.

"Valerie," Nick murmured.

"Nick."

Her voice sounded like pure silk, with no strong accent or any other unique attention-catcher. Judy's jaw unclamped and dropped open at Nick's acknowledgment of the fox.

"Who is this?" Judy asked, trying to direct the question to the room but instead focused on Nick.

Nick turned and caught the fiery look that was building up in Judy's eyes. The look struck fear in his heart. He barely had a chance to even think about answering before Valerie spoke, her words practically shaking the ground beneath Judy's feet.

"I'm his ex-girlfriend."


	39. Chapter 39

"Nicky, what's the problem?"

Valerie was still elegantly draped around the door frame, her voice calling out crisp and clear as if every sentence was a line in a play.

"Did she just call you '_Nicky_'?" Judy hissed.

Nick was standing right in front of her, his back to Valerie, trying to keep Judy's attention on him. This plan, however, was failing miserably.

"I didn't hear a thing," the fox chuckled nervously.

"Nick, Honey, come on!" her voice rang out once more.

"I'm going to _kill_ you, Nick," Judy muttered.

"Okay!" Nick exclaimed. "Can we have a moment, please?"

In very few strides, Nick crossed the room and shut the door, locking Valerie out of the Chief's office before turning around to face a very angry bunny.

"Who the hell is she?"

Nick looked up at the Chief.

"Of all the animals in Zootopia, why her?"

The Chief just shrugged, not really concerned with the question.

"Uh, hello, Nick? _Your pregnant wife-to-be_ asked you a question!"

"Why her, Chief?" Nick pleaded miserably. "And in front of the pregnant rabbit?"

"_Nick_!"

"Okay, okay! She's just an ex of mine–"

"'_Just an ex_'? She seems like a little bit more than 'just an ex' to me!"

"She's just a little bit flirty, that's all–"

"And that doesn't worry you in the slightest?"

"No, because–"

"_Unbelievable_!"

"Could you keep your voice down?" Nick shushed. "She's right outside!"

"Oh, I'm sorry that I'm such an _inconvenience_, Nick. Let me just go and take calls with my pregnant self while you go run around solving cases with your ex!"

"Why did you just say 'solving cases' in such a sexual manner?"

"So, you are thinking about sex!"

"You're the one who said it!" Nick gasped. "Carrots, it's not like that–"

Judy turned quickly to the Chief, her ears flopping as she did so.

"Chief, how long are they partners for?"

The Chief now looked slightly nervous and uncomfortable, even afraid of Judy in that moment, but he answered anyway.

"Until you, uh, return from your maternity leave, Hopps."

"Oh, _wonderful_!" the bunny huffed, rounding back on Nick. "You hear that, Nick? You get to screw her for the next six months and then the two and half months after that!"

"I'm not going to screw her–!"

"In the meantime, I'll be staying with your mother."

"Oh God, please don't bring my mother into this."

"Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about Valerie."

"You are hitting below the belt on purpose, and honestly, I am appalled," Nick said with a theatrical shake of his head.

"I don't think this is funny, Nick!"

"I've never been more serious in my life."

"I am emotional and so _not _in the mood to deal with this!"

"Okay, I hear you–"

A soft knock at the door, followed by Valerie entering the room, interrupted their argument.

"Sorry, I don't mean to intrude, but–"

"Val, can we please just have a minute?" Nick said without thinking.

Oh no.

Nick froze. He felt Judy's anger radiating off of her from where he was standing before she even so much as made a sound. Feeling the tension in the room, Valerie made an exaggerated expression and then closed the door, leaving Nick to face Judy once again. What he found was not pretty.

"'Val?' _'Val_?' _Are you kidding me, Nick_?"

"That was a slip up–"

"Is that how you're going to explain it when you sleep with her?"

"Well," Nick chuckled. "It wouldn't be too hard to slip into _that_, if you know what I mean. Am I right, Chief?"

The Chief shook his head and gestured for Nick to be quiet, but it was too late; the damage had been done.

"I'm going to actually _kill _you!"

"That's technically, uh, murder–" the Chief coughed nervously.

Judy suddenly turned her deadly gaze upon the cape buffalo.

"Get out," she hissed as she pointed at the door, surprising everyone.

"This is my office, Hopps! I will not be spoken to like that–"

"_Out_!"

Much to Nick's horror, the Chief winced slightly and then moved to sulk out of the room without another word.

"Where are you going?" Nick blanched at the Chief. "Don't leave me with her!"

Chief Bogo gave Nick a look that seemed to say, "not my problem," before departing the office, leaving the couple alone. Judy didn't even have time to feel guilty about yelling at her boss before she was on Nick once again. This time, she walked toward him, making him quickly back against the wall in fear.

"Carrots, be rational now!"

"Oh, it's always 'Carrots this' and 'Carrots that!' I'm sick of you acting like I'm special when I'm clearly not!" Judy gestured at the closed door. "This was supposed to be a great day and you had to go and ruin it!"

"I didn't know she was going to show up!"

"You've never even mentioned her, Nick!"

"You've never mentioned any of your previous boyfriends!"

"That's because you're the first, you idiot!"

"I–wait, really? I am?"

"I can't believe you!" Judy huffed angrily.

"I think–"

"I don't care what you think!"

"Okay, _but _I think that you're just being emotional–"

"Of course, I'm being emotional, Nick, it's called being pregnant!"

"Okay, so you acknowledge that you are being emotional! You know that you aren't really thinking this through right now, so why don't we just sit down," Nick reasoned, now carefully leading Judy to the chair he had been reclining in just moments before. "And relax."

Once seated, Nick began to massage Judy's shoulders.

"See?" he laughed. "All better."

"I'm still mad–"

"Shhh! Just relax."

Nick continued to work the knots from Judy's shoulders for a few more minutes, letting her cool off.

"Chief, you can come back in," he called once he was sure that Judy wouldn't murder him at the earliest convenience.

The Chief and Valerie peered into the room carefully before entering. Once they had established that they were safe, the Chief went back to his desk, while Valerie remained by the door.

"Chief, I'm going to take Judy to my mother's house, and then I will be right back. She'll be back tomorrow, but she just needs some time."

"Be timely, Nicky, we do have a case."

At Valerie's voice, Nick felt Judy tense, and heard the sound of disgust she made. Rubbing her shoulders a little harder now, Nick only nodded in reply before turning back to the Chief.

"I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Fine, Wilde, but be quick about it."

"Will do, Chief."

Nick carefully helped Judy out of the chair and began leading her from the room. Valerie opened her mouth to speak, but Nick caught her attention and mouthed "not a word," making her bite her tongue. Judy glared at Valerie hatefully, which Nick noticed, so he quickly grabbed her by the shoulders and steered her from the room.

"Hey, Judy!"

"Now is really not the time, Clawhauser, she's like a ticking bomb!" Nick yelled back at the cheetah as he raced past the reception desk, still steering Judy by her shoulders.

"Bomb" was a very accurate statement, because as soon as Nick had gotten Judy into the passenger's seat of their SUV and began driving her to his mom's house, she had started yelling again.

"'Be timely, _Nicky_'! Oh, that stupid bitc–"

"O-okay!" Nick laughed awkwardly. "Guess where we're going, Carrots?"

"To see your mother so I can borrow one of her kitchen knives."

"Funny, but no! We are visiting Grandma Wilde, isn't that right, babies?" Nick cooed lovingly in the direction of Judy's abdomen.

"Don't talk to my children, Nick."

"Mom is going to be _so_ happy to see you."

"You're sleeping on the couch."

"_So_ happy."

The rest of the car trip was filled with unbelievably uncomfortable dead silence as Nick continued to drive, glancing over every now and then to see if Judy was about to strangle him, while Judy stared angrily out of the window with her arms crossed tightly across her chest. After about a ten-minute drive, Nick brought the car to a gentle stop in front of a small house that was painted a luminous light green. The door and the shutters of the house were painted a bright white, and the yard was made up of a luscious lawn that held a garden with several different thriving flowers. The entire area looked very cozy and inviting, but Judy was too upset to really enjoy it all.

"Here we are," Nick chuckled nervously.

He moved to get out and open Judy's car door for her, but stopped when he heard her door open. Without a word or a glance, Judy got out of the car, slamming the door behind her as she did so, and walked up to the front door. Nick watched her angrily saunter up the sidewalk to the wooden front porch.

"Oh, this may have been a horrible idea," he muttered to himself.

Judy knocked on the door and put on her brightest smile, knowing that Nick's mother would love her no matter what. Nick's mother answered just a few seconds later. She was wearing a light blue dress that was covered by a kiwi green apron with white fringes. Judy could smell what she thought were cookies being baked, and could see a very wonderful home just from the limited view she had of the front hall. Mrs. Wilde smiled happily at the sight of Judy, but she also looked concerned.

"Judy! What a surprise!"

"Hello, Mrs. Wilde. I hate to intrude, but may I come in?"

"Of course, is something wrong?"

Judy hesitated slightly.

"Mrs. Wilde, do you know Valerie by chance?"

At the name, realization struck Nick's mother. She gave Judy a look that said, "no way," which Judy answered with a stiff, angry nod. Nick's mother then glanced up at Nick, who was cautiously waiting by the SUV to see if anything major happened. Nick waved with a shy smile, something his mother did not return.

"That skank," she finally whispered.

"Honestly, you could be talking about either one of them and that would still apply," Judy stated haughtily.

"Is it okay if she stays with you for the day?" Nick called to his mother from his place on the street.

Judy turned and looked at Nick, who waved and smiled at her.

"Love you, Carrots!"

"You're still sleeping on the couch!" she yelled back.

Nick gave a fake laugh.

"Always the jokester, isn't she, Mom?"

"Really, Nicholas?"

"What?"

Nick's mother just shook her head in disapproval before turning back to Judy.

"Come on in, Honey, and tell me all about it."


	40. Chapter 40

"He didn't!"

"Oh, he so did. Right in front of me too! '_Val_,' as if I'm not right there next to him!"

"He used to call her that all the time. I hated it, I much prefer Carrots over Val, if I do say so myself."

"I know! My nickname is way better than hers!"

"So, she works at the ZPD?"

"Apparently! I've never even seen her around before, and then when things are finally going well, she's there! Besides, she hasn't been there long, because Nick was the first fox officer and he's only been there for two years."

"She used to be a con artist, just like him."

"Really?"

"With looks like that, of course! They were partners before Nicholas met that little fennec fox."

"Finnick."

"That's the one," Nick's mother agreed. "Finnick hated her. She was always all over the place and could never really be trusted."

"I can believe that."

"I was never really involved in Nicholas's scamming ways, but I knew that she was trouble. It ended badly between them, but I have no idea why. I suspect it had to do with her pulling a fast one over on him."

"Nick seemed almost _amused _to see her."

"I'm sure, it's been a very long time since he's seen her, and you know him, he never does or says the right thing."

"What should I do? Should I do something?"

"Judy, Honey, you need to relax. You're getting into your second trimester and you need to be careful. I know this is hard, but I trust that Nicholas will not be completely stupid in this situation."

Judy sighed and idly played with the spoon that rested in the mug of tea before her. She and Nick's mother were comfortably seated on cushioned stools that rested around a kitchen island. Mrs. Wilde still lived in the home that made up Nick's childhood, but the majority of the house had been renovated or remodeled at some time or another. According to Nick, he had come from a low-income background, but it was clear that life had treated his mother very well in the years that followed his leave. The house was much bigger than it had appeared from the outside, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, and a basement, as well as a large backyard with patio and all. After Judy had been invited in, Nick's mother had given her the full tour. Mrs. Wilde kept a very neat and organized home that consisted of a color scheme with light greens and whites, with modern décor that matched nicely. Judy noted that the wallpaper looked vaguely similar to Nick's green Hawaiian shirt.

Nick's mother was also a very wonderful hostess, as she quickly made tea for Judy and herself, and took the cookies out of the oven just in time for both of them to share as they chatted.

"I suggest we do something to take your mind off it."

"What were you thinking?"

"House hunting."

The look of pride present on Mrs. Wilde's face made Judy grin.

"That does sound nice," the bunny admitted.

"Wonderful!" Mrs. Wilde exclaimed. "I'll get my car!"

For the remainder of the day, Nick's mother and Judy drove all around Zootopia, talking and bonding. They viewed dozens of houses, narrowing down each individual attribute that Judy was looking for. They narrowed their search when they both decided that it was better that the home was located Downtown, making it near to the ZPD and Mrs. Wilde's home. Using Judy's phone as a search engine, the two decided Judy and Nick would do the best in at least a two-bedroom home with two bathrooms. Also using her phone as a GPS, the two found four homes that fit that description. After visiting all four, only one was absolutely perfect. It was a home that was painted white with a deep red color present in the trimming, and it was located just two blocks from Main Street. According to an online source, the house was very similar to Mrs. Wilde's, consisting of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and a joined dining area and kitchen. The backyard was also fairly big.

Judy was in love in seconds. When she looked at the home, all she could see was her future children playing in the front yard, happy as can be. A few hours later, just as the sun was beginning to set, Mrs. Wilde had found a realtor, Judy had contacted a mortgage lender and had been pre-approved for a mortgage, Mrs. Wilde had made a price offer on the house, and Judy had obtained real estate insurance. No other two animals could have ever gotten so many important things done in such a short period of time. After a small celebration in the car that involved the two doing some very bad dancing and then laughing about it, Mrs. Wilde drove Judy back to the apartment that she and Nick shared.

"Thank you again, Mrs. Wilde."

"Not a problem at all, Dear. Oh, and do expect me to be paying for a large part of your home."

"You don't have to do that–"

"I _want _to. When Nick was little, he asked me for very few things that involved spending money. Now, with just me living in my house, I spend very little each year. It would be an absolute honor to help you get your family started on a good pathway."

Judy smiled and felt tears sting her eyes.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Wilde."

"It's not a problem at all, Honey. Now, go give Nick hell for what happened this morning, and then give him the good news."

"Will do," Judy laughed.

She waved goodbye as Nick's mother drove away before heading up to the apartment. At the door to the apartment, Judy moved to put her key into the lock, but was surprised when the door opened before she was able to.

"Carrots!"

Nick looked frantic, as if he had been running around in an absolute panic just seconds before. He also looked extremely nervous, and from the way he stood in the entrance of the door, he seemed to be hiding something. Judy was immediately suspicious and narrowed her eyes to show him that she knew something was going on.

"Nick?"

"How was your day?"

"How was _your _day?"

"It was good."

"I'm sure it was," Judy stated bitterly.

"That's not what I meant–"

"Are you going to move?"

"Huh?"

"You're standing in the doorway."

Nick glanced down at his feet before giving a nervous laugh.

"I guess I am."

"So, are you going to move?" Judy asked again.

"I was thinking we could go out for dinner."

"Nick, I've had a long day and I'm tired. Maybe another time. Can you move so I can go inside?"

"I think that–"

"Nick, what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah, that doesn't sound suspicious at all," Judy gave a hollow laugh. "Why can't I go inside?"

Nick didn't answer, he just gave Judy a pleading look that seemed to say, "be gentle." Judy's narrowed eyes slowly widened, her temper rising at an extremely rapid pace.

"No," Judy breathed.

Nick's ears flattened against his head as he prepared for the worse.

"Do _not _tell me she's in our apartment."

Nick cringed.

"When you say 'she'–"

"_Are you kidding me, Nick_? Are you really _that _stupid?" Judy hissed quietly, trying not to let Valerie hear her.

"Carrots, it isn't what you think."

"Oh, yeah? Enlighten me then, Nick!"

"She doesn't have a place to stay, and–"

"You're damn right she doesn't, because she's not staying here!"

"It's just one night."

"How are you not the least bit suspicious about all of this?" Judy asked, her eyebrows furrowed. "You haven't seen her in years and suddenly she's working at the ZPD, she's your partner, and she also just happens to not have a place to stay? That's not weird to you at all?"

"Look, I know this is all really weird," Nick began. "But let's just try to–"

"Well I would love to know where she's sleeping if you're sleeping on the couch."

"Carrots, be reasonable."

"I am being reasonable! She is your ex, Nick! How would it make you feel if I had an ex and I let him just crash on our couch?"

"But you don't have an ex–"

"Are you purposely being thick right now? _She. Is. Not. Sleeping. Here_!"

"It's one night, I promise."

"But it isn't one night. It's almost nine more months with her!" Judy said, exasperated. "Nine more months of you two doing whatever you want while I watch from the sidelines. Six months of me going through this pregnancy by myself and then three more months of me raising your kids without you!"

"Carrots, it's not like that."

"It's not?" Judy scoffed. "You know, I found a house today. Your mom and I set everything up and the closing is supposed to be next week if everything goes okay. I was actually excited to come home and tell you about it, and what do I find? Valerie in my apartment!"

"We weren't doing anything–"

"But how do I know that?"

Nick's face fell.

"You don't trust me?" he asked, clearly hurt.

"You didn't trust me when all I was doing was planning a stupid birthday party."

Nick sighed and shook his head.

"That was a mistake on my part, and you know it!"

"So is this."

Silence fell between them as they both broke eye contact with one another. A tear slid down Judy's cheek, which she wiped away hastily. Looking down at her feet, Judy spoke, her voice cracking with emotion.

"I would honestly leave right now, but you know that I have no place to go besides Bunnyburrow or your mother's home, and you know that I don't want to go and get into our car that I'm sure will smell just like her."

"Carrots–"

"And I would honestly leave right now, if I wasn't afraid to be all alone."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean–"

"She can stay one night on the couch, and you can sleep in the bed," Judy muttered as she pushed past Nick.

Tears now freely streaming down her face, Judy walked right past Valerie, who was draped across the couch, a "guilty" expression on her face, and made her way back to the bedroom. Shutting the door quietly behind her, Judy collapsed in the bed and sobbed. It felt like an eternity before Nick finally entered the bedroom and crawled into bed. He took one look at Judy and opened his arms, which she gratefully crawled into. Then, without a word, Judy fell asleep in Nick's arms.


	41. Chapter 41

"I made breakfast! Judy, Sweetie, have a seat! Good morning, Nicky!"

That morning, Nick and Judy had awoken to the sound of something sizzling and the smell of cooking food. Judy had turned over in bed and looked Nick right in the eye.

"I swear to God, if she's cooking…" she had whispered.

"She wouldn't. Valerie isn't like that," Nick had reassured her.

The two had then gotten up and made their way down the hall to discover a very cheerful Valerie, already dressed and ready for the day, working away in the kitchen. At Valerie's greeting, Judy had promptly shot Nick a deadly glare, while he looked embarrassed, as if Valerie were a family member of his visiting. Judy then decided to force a smile made up of poison.

"Thank you, Valerie, that is just so nice."

Her voice was so sickly sweet, it sent shivers down Nick's spine. Nick knew that Judy had several different ways of approaching a situation she wasn't fond of, and it was clear that she had just chosen the "I'll play the fakest nice you've ever seen" way. Nick, however, didn't say a word; if anyone could make things worse right now, it was him.

"No problem at all, Sweetie. It's the least I could do for you after letting me stay the night!"

Nick noted that Valerie's tone held the same fake tone that Judy's had. With horror, he realized that this situation could only get worse from here on out. Judy smiled again, knowing that the game had started.

"Nick, I'm going to shower and get ready for the day. Care to join me?"

"In the shower?"

"You're telling me you don't enjoy morning shower sex anymore?"

Nick's whole body tensed. Had she really just said that? Yes, yes, she had just said that. Valerie raised an eyebrow but remained silent as she stirred the contents of the pans on the stovetop.

"Uh, no, I'm coming," Nick muttered, still dazed.

With an evil grin, Judy turned and walked down the hallway, purposely swinging her hips as she did so. Nick followed as if he were on a leash and she held it. Once he had made it to the entrance of the bathroom, Judy grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in.

"Hey, Sexy," she called loud enough for Valerie to hear before she shut the door.

As soon as the door clicked shut, she turned to Nick, who was in absolute shock.

"Did you really just do that?" the fox murmured.

"Do what?"

"Tell her we were going to have sex in the shower!"

"Did you really think we were going to have sex in the shower?" Judy shot back.

Nick fixed her with a lazy stare.

"How dare you play with my emotions, Rabbit."

"We aren't having sex until she leaves, Nick!"

Judy began to remove her clothes, starting the shower as she did so. Nick's gaze swept up and down her body before she threw her shirt over his face with a noise of disgust.

"I'm only doing this to show her that you're mine," the bunny explained.

"Are you openly admitting that you're jealous?"

"Of course, I'm jealous!" Judy exclaimed before stepping into the shower and closing the curtain. "You can't say you wouldn't be too, Nick."

Nick removed her shirt from his face and went to the sink to brush his canines.

"I'm not going to leave you, Carrots," he called with a toothbrush in his mouth.

"Oh, I know you won't leave me!" Judy laughed. "If you left me, the whole ZPD, along with your mother, would know that you cheated on your pregnant girlfriend. I, however, can leave you if I really feel like it without too many consequences."

Nick's jaw dropped open.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"I'm dead serious."

"That's evil! I'm not even cheating on you!"

"There's no proof of that. Besides, you know I'm right."

"You're blackmailing me!"

"I'm forcing you to make the right decision. Besides, I'm not going to leave you."

"Oh, yeah, that makes me feel loads better," Nick muttered bitterly.

"I also know that you wouldn't leave me, because I mean, come on! Have you seen me?"

"Someone gained some confidence overnight," Nick grumbled.

Judy laughed, now working her body wash into a lather.

"I know you don't trust her, Nick."

"I take it my mother told you that."

"You can't have a partner you don't trust."

"Funny, we were partners."

"Oooh, what a punch!" Judy chuckled. "The point is, you have the power to tell the Chief that you want a new partner. If I told him that, he would dismiss me and tell me I'm being crazy."

"You are being crazy!"

"Drop her as your partner, Nick."

"Why would I do that?"

Judy peered around the shower curtain.

"You can't be serious. You are not about to remain partners with her to spite me!"

"I think I already am," Nick smirked as he threw a towel to Judy, who caught it and wrapped it around her body. "You aren't leaving me, that's what you said, right? So why should I be worried?"

Judy gave an angry sigh before she stormed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Nick smirked again as he heard the door slam.

In the end, both he and Judy were aware that neither one would do anything drastic, but they would bite, kick, scratch, and punch until they had gotten their points across. It was true that Nick didn't trust Valerie as a partner. When they had dated, he was constantly worried that she was with another guy or that she was trying to steal his money behind his back. Now that she was back, he was afraid that she would hurt Judy in some way or steal from him. The fact that she had asked to stay the night only increased these feelings of worry. So no, she had never been trustworthy, but he didn't care. If staying partners with her angered Judy more, he would do it, just to establish that he was capable of making his own decisions.

In the end, Nick and Judy did trust each other; Judy knew that Nick wouldn't do anything too stupid, and Nick knew that Judy wouldn't go too far, but who's to say that they couldn't have a little fun messing with one another? Yes, Judy had been upset the night before, and Nick had felt genuinely bad, but it was clear that the argument had taken a very sharp turn overnight.

Nick emerged from the bathroom and opened the bedroom door. Judy was dressed in navy blue leggings and a white long-sleeve shirt today. The shirt fit snugly around her growing abdomen. She was sitting on the bed and smoothing the fur on her ears when Nick had opened the door.

"That was nice, but could have been better," Nick stated loudly with a smug expression.

Judy stood and walked past him to the living room.

"Sorry, Nick, sex is a little bit difficult nowadays since I'm twelve weeks pregnant with your four kids," Judy laughed dryly. "Nick, always so picky!"

Judy shrugged after she caught the uncomfortable look on Valerie's face. Nick entered the living room a few minutes later, dressed in his uniform. The three then left the apartment and headed for the SUV. Judy hopped in the driver's seat, Nick in the passenger's seat, and Valerie in the back.

"It smells _wonderful _in here," Judy smiled as she shot Nick a look.

Pulling out of the apartment complex's parking lot, Judy decided to engage Valerie in a conversation.

"So, tell me Valerie, how long have you worked for the ZPD?"

"Just a few months. This is my first major case."

"Well, then I wish you luck!"

"She doesn't need luck if I'm her partner," Nick chuckled.

"How very arrogant of you, Nick," Judy laughed. "I'm sure Valerie is a capable officer."

The rest of the car ride was silent, with Valerie shifting awkwardly in the backseat every now and then. When they arrived at work, the three parted ways, Judy to the offices, and Nick and Valerie down to records to dig up some information on their case.

For Judy, the day went by unbelievably slow. She typed up reports, took calls, filed papers, and engaged in other mindless tasks that unnerved her. A few of her fellow officers stopped by the cubicle throughout the day and welcomed her back or commented on her pregnancy, but nothing really seemed to make the day unique for her. In between tasks, Judy was usually listening to music, doodling on a piece of paper, or spinning around in her swivel chair. At 6:00 that evening, Judy clocked out and exited the offices to the lobby, where she found Clawhauser in his usual place at the reception desk.

"Hi, Judy!" the cheetah greeted her pleasantly.

"Hey, Clawhauser. How was your day?"

"Pretty average. Yours?"

"Just the same. I'm ready to go home."

"Do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?"

"Not really a whole lot to discuss if I'm honest," Judy shrugged politely.

"Are you and Nick doing okay?"

"We're fine. We're just going through a rough patch."

"This is a pretty big rough patch."

"Nah, it'll be over before you know it."

Just then, the quiet lobby filled with commotion as an infuriated Valerie stomped past. Behind her, followed an anxious Nick, who was jogging to keep up.

"Val, wait!"

Judy looked up at Clawhauser with her eyebrows raised.

"Rough patch over," the bunny grinned.

"No, Nick! I'm done! I quit! I'm going to talk to the Chief right now! Have fun finding a new partner!" Valerie yelled.

Nick slowed his steps and came to a halt just a few feet from Judy. Judy looked at Clawhauser and winked before turning to Nick.

"Everything okay?"

"She thinks I'm using her to make you mad."

Judy nodded as if she were empathetic.

"I totally get that. I was doing the exact same thing," Judy chuckled."

At that, Nick grinned.

"She quit."

"Does that make you happy?" Judy asked innocently.

"It does, one-hundred-percent. I just don't have a partner."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that too much," Judy reassured the fox.

"Why?"

The silence of the lobby was once again broken as the Chief's booming voice shook the building.

"_Wilde_! _Hopps_!"

"That's why," Judy smirked. "We'll see you tomorrow, Clawhauser."

Clawhauser looked completely confused, but he waved goodbye as the couple walked up to the second floor.

"A perfectly good officer gone! All because of you two!" the Chief was shrieking a few minutes later, after they had entered his office. "You've only been back for two days and everything is absolute chaos!"

"It's a real shame," Nick said, trying not to laugh.

"I don't find this funny, Wilde! Now you're out of partners!"

"I'm available," Judy offered with a raise of her paw.

"We have already discussed this, Hopps!"

"I'm cool with her being my partner."

"We have already discussed this!"

"Hey, Carrots, wanna be my partner?" Nick asked the bunny.

"I'd love to."

"There we go. Problem solved," Nick stated smugly.

The Chief was practically shaking with anger, his nostrils flaring as he looked from the bunny to the fox.

"Fine," he sighed. "Just get out."

"Thank you, Chief!" Nick shouted as he and Judy exited.

The Chief just shook his head, wondering how he would ever be able to handle those two. In their SUV, Judy and Nick broke down in laughter.

"I can't believe you got her to quit!" Judy exclaimed. "And in a single day? What did you do to her?"

"Oh, just the usual charm," Nick smirked. "I can't believe you threatened to blackmail me."

"We are horrible."

"We really are."

"I'm sorry for yelling so much."

"I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate. Are you okay?"

"I am, but I do have a question," Judy stated.

"What?"

"You trust me, right?"

"Of course. Do you trust me?"

"You make me nervous, but yes," Judy laughed.

"You know I wouldn't cheat on you, right?"

"Yes, I do. You know I wouldn't leave you, right?"

"Yep."

"Okay… I love you."

"I love you too, Carrots."


	42. Chapter 42

"You ready?"

"Yeah, hurry up, this box is heavy."

"Okay. Here we are!"

"Wow."

Nick took one glance at the inside of the house and knew it was perfect. This was the first time that he had been able to see the house his mother and Judy had picked out, and he wasn't disappointed. It was a bit of a fixer-upper, but what house wasn't? For him and Judy and their family, it was the most beautiful thing to happen to them since Judy had announced that she was pregnant. It had taken a little bit longer than expected for the house to be officially closed in Judy's name – almost a month and a half longer, but it had been closed in her name nonetheless. In that time, Judy and Nick used boxes to pack up their apartment and black markers to label everything. Just the day before, all of the paperwork had been officially approved and this morning, the couple began to move their things in with the help of Mrs. Wilde and a few friends from work. Judy did the unpacking, as Nick wouldn't let her lift anything heavy. With his leg now fully healed, Nick practically did everything for the bunny since she was now almost eighteen weeks pregnant, her back beginning to officially arch in with her pregnancy.

"Well, what do you think?" Judy asked in an excited voice.

"It's amazing. Good pick, Carrots."

"Thank you," Judy smiled. "But your mother is the reason we have the house."

"I still can't believe she paid as much as she did."

"She's amazing. When she said that she would pay a large portion, I didn't know that meant all of it plus more."

Nick's mother had indeed made an offer on the house that was debated and discussed several times before it was officially decided on. Then, Nick's mother had paid for not only the house, but had also given Judy and Nick enough money to fix the home up and add things to it.

"Remind me to send her a gift, Nick. Delgato! Be careful with that box, it's full of our dishes!"

"How's the unpacking going?" Nick asked, watching the lion officer readjust his grip on the box he was carrying.

"Pretty good. I unpacked clothes, pictures, some blankets and towels, but that's about it."

"I'll be able to help in a minute. We're down to the last few boxes and pieces of furniture. We don't really have that much stuff."

"Okay. You're going to my appointment today, right?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Nick smiled.

Later that day, Judy was set for a check-up appointment that would also reveal the sexes of all four babies. Although Nick and Judy had argued over it for the last few weeks, they had decided that it would be better to know… well, that and Judy was just too impatient to not know. After the appointment, the couple planned on going to pick up some cans of paint to repaint the inside of the house and to pick up some baby supplies.

"I'm looking forward to it," Judy grinned. "Oh, and don't forget that we are visiting my parents next week."

"I forgot about that," Nick groaned.

"Quit whining, my parents love you."

"No, they hate me."

"How could they hate you?"

"Firstly, I'm a fox. Secondly, I'm a fox who started dating their rabbit daughter _without _their knowledge. Oh, yeah, and thirdly, I'm a fox who got his girlfriend, their rabbit daughter, pregnant, also without their knowledge."

"I fail to see the problem," Judy laughed.

"You would," Nick chuckled as he set down the box that he had been carrying. "Can I see upstairs?"

With a big grin plastered across her face, Judy gave Nick a full tour of the house, telling him where she planned to place certain things.

"I'm thinking we place the crib against that wall," Judy stated as she gestured to a wall with one paw, the other resting on her lower back.

"Crib?"

"Yeah, I decided to get only one."

"Are they going to have enough room?" Nick asked with a puzzled expression.

"Of course! They're sharing my womb, aren't they?"

At the look on Nick's face, Judy laughed herself to near tears.

"I'm kidding, Nick! Well, I mean, it's true, but I ordered a huge crib, and we can divide it with pillows if we really need to."

"Is this the crib we're picking up later?"

"Yes, it's absolutely gorgeous. It's made from wood that's been stained black. That's why I want to paint the wall behind the crib and the opposite wall a turquoise kind of color, with the other two painted white."

"Okay, I think that would look nice."

"I knew you would love it. Now, come in here really quick."

Judy then led Nick down the hall to the master bedroom. Their bed had already been set up and centered against the farthest wall from the door.

"I'm thinking that the wall behind the bed should be a deep red color, with the other walls white."

"Okay, and how do you want to do our bathroom?" Nick asked as he gestured to the bathroom that joined the master bedroom through a small hallway set opposite from the bed.

The master bedroom's bathroom technically didn't have a door, just a small hall that led into a large bathroom with a tub, shower, two sinks, large mirrors, and a toilet included.

"Probably the same way," Judy shrugged. "I don't know, we'll see how it goes. I really like the gray tile, though, and I think it would look great with a dark red."

"The bathroom across the hall from the kids' room?"

"Same colors as their room?"

"Sounds good to me."

"And I want to keep the carpet white, so we may have to hire someone to professionally clean it."

"A white carpet with four kids?"

"They'll keep it clean or I'll make them clean it."

"Ha, alright, Mom," Nick chuckled.

"I would like the kitchen painted the same way as our room; I think that would look nice with the applewood cabinets."

"Okay, keep the white tile?"

"Yes. What should we do with the living room and the dining room, though?"

"I like turquoise, just like the kids' room. Besides, no use in buying more paint than we have to."

"Right, I like that idea."

"We'd have to get a new couch with those colors…" Nick suggested.

"Thank God, I hated that couch."

"You slept on it for like two years!"

"I know, but I was just trying to be nice," Judy said with an apologetic look. "I was secretly hoping it would break so I wouldn't have to sleep on it anymore."

"You could have just told me," Nick laughed.

"And sleep where?"

"In my bed."

"With you? We weren't even dating when I first started sleeping on that thing!"

"We could have started dating sooner."

"I still slept on the couch when we started dating."

"You're something else," Nick laughed.

Judy laughed too, playfully punching him in the arm as she did so.

"You love me," she smiled.

"Do I? Yes, yes I do."

"That's my line!"

"You don't own it!"

The two continued to laugh and chat for a few more minutes before Nick's mother came in and interrupted, telling Nick to go help move boxes while she talked to Judy. With a kiss goodbye, Nick left to help, while Judy and Mrs. Wilde walked through the house and discussed the designs and plans Judy had. A few hours later, everything was moved in. Now alone, Judy and Nick worked around the house, unpacking things as they went. At about a quarter before 2:00, the couple left the house and made their way to Judy's appointment with her pediatrician.

"Are you nervous?" Judy asked as Nick drove down Main Street.

"Should I be?"

"How do you always manage to ruin an adorable moment between us?" Judy laughed, as Nick rolled his eyes.

"I'll admit that I'm a little nervous."

"Ooh, big tough Nick isn't so big and tough anymore!"

"I answered your question, you hypocrite!"

For what felt like the millionth time that day, the two broke down in side-clenching laughter. It wasn't long after that that they pulled into the parking lot of the clinic. Paw in paw, the two walked in, checked in at the reception desk, and sat patiently in the waiting room. Judy's pediatrician was a very kind tiger named Kara, who loved the fact that Nick and Judy were an interspecies couple. For Judy, waiting for her name to be called to begin her appointment felt like an eternity, when in reality it was only a few minutes before the tiger arrived and called her name with a smile. After the usual medical requirements and some idle chatter, Judy's ultrasound began.

"Okay, Mom. There's Baby 1," Kara stated as she pointed to the monitor. "There's Baby 2's foot, and then there is Baby 2. Oh, and here's Baby 4, waaaaaay over here. And last but not least, Baby 3 is down here."

"Baby 3 seems a bit far down, don't you think?" Nick asked, a little worry present in his tone.

"Not at all, Dad," Kara smiled. "Everything is perfectly normal."

Nick nodded, still not fully convinced. Judy reached out and gripped his paw reassuringly.

"Would we like to know genders?" Kara then asked.

"Yes," Judy grinned, her paw squeezing Nick's in anticipation.

Nick took a deep breath, not really sure why he was so nervous. That feeling was back again, the balloon filling with air, his chest caving in with every breath he took. He glanced down at Judy, whose eyes were glued to the monitor, waiting for Kara to tell her. God, she was beautiful. Why didn't he tell her that more often? He definitely should, she deserved it.

Nick briefly cleared his head of all of the cluttering thoughts and tried to focus long enough to hear what Kara was saying. She had started talking, but Nick hadn't been listening. Oh, God, had she already said it?

"_No, Judy isn't all over me in excitement yet_," he thought.

"Nick?"

It was Judy.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were okay."

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I zoned out for a little bit."

"You sure? You look like you just saw a ghost."

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Don't worry, Dad, everybody gets a little nervous when they find out," Kara reassured him with a pleasant voice and a smile. "Try to take deep breaths, okay?"

Nick nodded, breathing in deeply through his nose a few times.

Judy giggled quietly, making Nick look down at her and make an exaggerated face of annoyance.

"We ready?" Kara asked.

Judy answered affirmative once more, this time keeping her eyes on Nick.

"Okay, let's do this baby by baby."

Nick and Judy kept eye contact as they listened to Kara write something down before speaking again.

"Baby 1 is a boy."

Judy's face split into a grin, and she squeezed Nick's paw again. Nick smiled down at her, taking another deep breath.

"Baby 2 is also a boy."

This time, Nick let out a nervous chuckle.

"Two boys, wow. We're going to have a pawful."

"Make that three, Dad," Kara suddenly added.

Judy put her free paw over her mouth to stifle a laugh.

"That's three and they're all boys!" she giggled beneath her paw.

"You think it's funny, but you just wait; they're all going to act just like me," Nick snickered.

"That'll be my worst nightmare! Four Nicks!"

"I bet you ten bucks that Baby 4 is a girl," Nick smirked.

Judy's eyes glinted with interest.

"No way, definitely a boy," she challenged.

"Is that a bet then?"

"You're on."

Kara shook her head in amusement before turning back to the screen.

"Uh-oh, Mom, it looks like Dad just got ten dollars richer. Baby 4 is a little girl."

That's when Judy cried. In fact, she cried so hard that Kara gave them a few minutes to be alone. The crying briefly stopped when Judy got dressed, but then she quickly resumed crying, this time into Nick's shoulder.

"Carrots, what is going on?" the fox eventually asked.

"I just can't believe we are going to be parents!" she sobbed.

Nick smiled and ran a paw over one of her ears.

"Three little boys and one little girl," he smiled. "Now that we've got genders, we need names."


	43. Chapter 43

"There's no way I'm giving one of my sons _that_ name."

"Aw, come on! Even your mother thinks that Piberius would be an adorable name."

"That's because she picked it out herself!"

Judy fell back on the floor and laughed. Smiling, Nick joined her on the floor that was covered in pieces of cardboard. The pieces of cardboard had been used to contain and transport the new appliances Nick and Judy had ordered for the kitchen before they tore them all apart. Now, the pieces of cardboard, as well as Nick and Judy, were covered in paint. They were in the master bedroom, two of the four walls already painted and ready for a second coat. The kitchen and the master bedroom's bathroom had already been painted, as the couple had decided to paint all of the rooms that they had designated as red and white first. Nick and Judy were not expert painters, but they had a system that worked: Nick would move anything that was pressed against the walls, Judy would stir the paint, and then each would grab a brush and paint one of the two colors. When painting colors, the couple alternated between rooms. Judy painted red in the kitchen, while Nick painted white, but then Judy painted white in the master bedroom's bathroom, while Nick painted red, and now Judy was back to red and Nick was back to white. It was early evening and the soft orange light from the setting sun filled their bedroom with a perfect type of stillness. The two had been painting since early morning, after acquiring all of the needed supplies after Judy's appointment yesterday afternoon. Along with painting, they had also been arguing about baby names.

"You never like any of the names I pick, Nick," Judy laughed as she sat up on the floor and continued painting the trim of the room.

Nick then stood up and climbed up the ladder he had been using to paint as close to the ceiling as possible without touching it.

"That's not true," he argued.

"It so is."

"Alright, list off names. Rapid fire."

"Boy names or girl names?"

"Boy names; we're going to need three of those. Give 'em to me. Go."

"Jackson."

"No."

"Aiden."

"No."

"Liam."

"Nope."

"Lucas."

"Nu-uh."

"Noah."

"No."

"Mason."

"That's a type of jar."

"Cooper."

"No."

"Aaron."

"No."

"You aren't even trying!"

"Keep going."

"Thumper."

"Do not name one of my kids after a rabbit joke."

"Kyle."

"No."

"Robin."

"Ooooh, hold up. Did you say Robin?"

"Yeah, why?"

"How in love with that name are you?"

"I think it's cute."

"Then we've got one."

"Really?" Judy asked, excited.

"Keep going, Carrots, this is working."

"Ethan."

"No."

"James."

"No."

"Nick."

"Hey, that's my name! _No._"

"Connor."

"Nope."

"Alan."

"Freeze! Yes."

"Yes to Alan?"

"Yes to Alan. Keep going, we need one more."

"Cameron."

"Nu-uh."

"Andrew."

"No."

"Hunter."

"No."

"Dylan."

"No."

"Matthew."

"No."

"Uh…"

Judy tried to think of another name, but her brain failed her as it went completely blank. Glancing down in thought, her eyes rested upon the paintbrush she held in her paw; the paintbrush that was coated in a dark color of red.

"Red."

"What?"

"I said Red."

Nick glanced over at Judy.

"Like the color?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think it's cute."

Nick nodded his head in thought, his eyebrows scrunched together.

"Okay, I could live with it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I like it too. So, Robin, Alan, and Red, right?"

"Yes, and of course, let's make these tentative names for the time being. I have to really see my kids to know if those names would fit them, you know?"

"I gotcha. Now we just need one little girl name."

Both went silent for a few minutes as they racked their brains for the perfect name for a girl. After almost fifteen minutes, they still had nothing, so in the meantime, Nick changed the subject.

"Here, let me see the red paint so I can get the top of the wall for you."

"It's okay, I can do it."

"I don't want you up on a ladder."

Judy rolled her eyes, but handed Nick the can of paint as he scaled the miniature ladder. Once he reached the top, Judy handed him the paintbrush she had been using, which he lightly dipped in paint before going to work.

"Let's reverse the rapid fire thing," Judy said. "You go."

"Okay," Nick agreed. "Sarah."

"No."

"Taylor."

"No."

"Karen."

"No."

"Tina."

"No."

"Lauren."

"Nope."

"I'm out of girl names."

"You only listed five!"

"It's hard!"

"Why was it so easy to think of _three _names for the boys, but now it's hard to come up with _one _name for our daughter?" Judy sighed as she watched Nick paint.

Now, with nothing to do, Judy placed her paws on her lower back and paced around the room.

"I think it's because we only have one girl, so we want her name to be absolutely perfect," Nick replied.

Judy nodded as she considered this.

"Of course, I want her name to be perfect–_Ah_!"

"Judy?"

Fear gripping his heart, Nick turned swiftly to look down at Judy, who was glaring at him. While he had been painting and talking, Nick hadn't noticed that the can of paint he had hanging from his arm had begun to tip. In an event that could only be labeled as a coincidence, Judy had walked near the ladder just as a hefty amount of paint came pouring down, dousing her in the color red. The shock from the cold liquid was enough to make her let out a yelp that echoed throughout the house. Glancing down at his girlfriend, Nick had to cover his mouth with a paw to keep from laughing.

"_Nick_!"

Turning away to hide his face so that Judy wouldn't get any angrier from seeing his reaction to the hilarious situation, Nick became completely oblivious to what happened next. Judy, instantly seeking revenge for the fun of it, picked up Nick's unattended paintbrush, soaked it in the can of white paint, and slapped it against his back, making him shiver and yell out in surprise.

In the next ten minutes, Judy and Nick chased each other around the house with their paintbrushes, marking each other up with red and white. Careful to only hit one another, and not any of the walls, floors, or furniture, the house filled with laughter and absolute chaos.

Until Judy slipped, that is.

They had been in the kitchen, Judy chasing Nick, when Judy's feet slid out from under her on the tiled floor. Thankfully, just seconds before, Nick had felt the balloon in his chest fill with air. That filling balloon forced his whole body to turn around in a whim, just in time to catch a falling Judy. Their paintbrushes clattered to the floor, momentarily making a mess of paint on the surrounding tiles. The house fell silent before the couple both let out quiet laughs at how the entire situation had played out. Judy regained her balance and stood, but remained in Nick's grasp. Nick let out another laugh as he looked into Judy's eyes and saw that almost her entire face and head had been covered in red paint when he had accidentally let the paint can slip. Judy gave him a playful punch to the shoulder, before looking right back into his eyes.

"Have I ever told you you're beautiful?"

Judy's face flushed a light pink, a color that was barely visible under the paint that was currently caked into her fur. She gave him a sly smile before standing on her tippy toes to kiss him; a kiss that lasted for a few blissful moments. When they pulled apart, Nick looked into Judy's eyes again.

"Violet," he whispered.

"What? Are we playing the color game?" Judy giggled. "Blue! Yellow!"

"No, your eyes," Nick chuckled. "They're violet."

"Don't tell me that you're just noticing this now."

"You aren't getting what I'm saying."

"Are you calling me stupid?"

"Oh my God, Carrots, listen to what I am saying."

"You said my eyes are violet…and?"

"I want our daughter to be named Violet."

Judy's mouth made an "o" shape, making Nick laugh before bringing her in for another kiss.


	44. Chapter 44

"I wonder how much the town has changed, like how many trees, bushes, and flowers have grown."

"Uh-huh."

"Or how many new shops and stands there are."

"Yeah."

"Or if there are any new homes or new families there now."

"Yep."

"I _really_ wonder how many siblings I have now. You know how us bunnies multiply!"

"Mmm-hmm."

"You aren't even listening."

"Yep... I mean, huh? Yeah, what? No, I'm listening!"

Judy giggled as she watched Nick flounder back into the conversation. The two were comfortably seated in their SUV – Nick in the driver's seat, Judy in the passenger's seat – and the two were on their way to Bunnyburrow to visit Judy's family before the famous arrival of four new family members took place. It had been almost two months since Judy had seen her parents, and almost a year and a half since she had seen Bunnyburrow, as well as the rest of her family. It was early in the morning, but Judy had insisted that they leave at a time when the day was cool, that way it felt as if the car was breezy and open with the windows down, and not stuffy and awkward. However, Nick always had a habit of sleeping in on Saturdays, no matter how much caffeine he ingested, so he wasn't exactly "wide awake" just yet. Nick was wearing his usual pair of khakis and his green Hawaiian shirt, while Judy was dolled up in a lavender dress that complimented the color of her fur.

"You so weren't, Nick."

"I definitely was. Go on. You were saying something about Clawhauser?"

"I wasn't saying anything about Clawhauser!" Judy laughed.

Nick shook his head slightly before chuckling.

"Did I say Clawhauser? I meant the Chief. What were you saying about the Chief?"

"I wasn't talking about work at all!"

"Ah, then I was most definitely not listening."

Judy giggled again as she rolled her eyes and pretended to be annoyed.

"I was just saying that I was wondering how much has changed since I left."

"This might be a wild guess, but I would say that there are probably a lot more bunnies now then there was a year ago."

"Imagine all of the siblings we haven't even met yet!" Judy exclaimed.

"Ah, no thank you to that."

"Hey, no wiggling out of this. You are meeting my family. _All _of my family."

Nick groaned, but then smiled and glanced over at Judy.

"Quit acting like my mother. In fact, quit acting like a mother in general, it's creeping me out."

"I wonder how Gideon Grey is..." Judy muttered just loud enough for Nick's ear to perk up immediately.

The car skidded slightly as Nick's foot slipped off the gas pedal and fell on the brake momentarily. Judy yelped out in surprise, placing both of her paws on the dashboard as she did so. Nick quickly regained control of the car, accelerating it back to the speed limit before turning to look at Judy.

"Who?" he asked as if nothing had happened.

"What?" Judy sounded out of breath and slightly traumatized.

"You wonder how who is?" Nick pressed.

At the tone in his voice, Judy turned to him, a grin spreading across her face like a wildfire in a dying forest.

"Did you really almost kill us just now because you were jealous?"

"I'm not jealous, and I didn't almost kill us; I'm a wonderful driver."

"Nick, I know you're jealous because I can hear it! You don't even know who Gideon is."

"I'm not jealous, Carrots. I almost killed us because – I mean, I didn't almost kill us, I just hit the brakes! _Anyway_, I reacted because you're wondering about the fox that attacked you as a kid."

Judy went silent, deep in thought for a moment.

"Yeah, I know who he is," Nick continued. "You told me a long time ago, and trust me, I didn't forget it."

"He's different, though. I saw him that one time after and–"

"You saw him? When? Why?"

"After you and I had that fight after that press conference, and I went back to Bunnyburrow for a few months."

"How many times did you see him exactly?"

"I only saw him once and–"

"Where were you when you saw him?"

"I was at my family's stand, why does that matter?"

"What did he say?"

"He just apologized for–"

"For what?"

"Jesus, that's what I'm trying to tell you! Why do you keep interrupting?"

"Well, at first I was very curious, now I'm just doing it for fun," Nick chuckled, which received him a punch in the arm from Judy. "But seriously, do you think we're going to see him again?"

"Well, yeah, I called him the other day."

_SCREECH!_

The SUV came to a very unsteady and quick stop by the actions of Nick. Judy yelled again, but Nick ignored her. He had stopped the car in the middle of the road that ran between Zootopia and Bunnyburrow. Several wooded areas and a few carrot fields surrounded them, but no other traffic.

"Nick! Are you insane?"

"You _called _him? When?"

"Last week just when we were getting ready to move. I called my parents too. I was just letting friends and family know that we were moving and that we were visiting soon."

"What exactly did you say to Gideon?"

"'Hi, Gideon! Just wanted to let you know that I'm visiting next weekend. I was hoping we could catch up.'"

"Anything else?"

"Well, yeah. I told him I'm pregnant."

"_Why_?"

"Are you saying this in a jealous tone or a worried tone?"

"Both!"

"And you thought that stopping the car would help, why?"

"You didn't need to call him!"

"He's an old family friend!" Judy reasoned.

"So is Finnick, but you don't see me calling him every time I'm near him!"

"Oh, you're being ridiculous."

"And you weren't with Valerie?"

Oh, that did it.

The gaze that Judy fixed Nick with could have killed, making him draw back slightly. He shrugged, as if to say, "I mean, it's true, though." Judy huffed a sigh.

"Get out of the car," she demanded.

"Whoa, I didn't mean–"

"Oh, I'm not making you walk! I'm driving."

"But I like driving."

"Yeah, but if you _keep _driving, you are going to induce labor!"

"You're only four months along."

"_Exactly_! Get. Out."

Pouting as he did so, Nick got out of the car and walked around to the other side, while Judy slid across the seats. The next few minutes were filled with silence only interrupted every moment or so by Judy sighing angrily. Nick, however, had expected Judy to have a "moment" sometime during the car ride, due to the fact that it was a somewhat lengthy trip and she was pregnant. It felt like every ten minutes she was either crying, yelling, sleeping, laughing, or complaining, but Nick didn't mind. This was his life mate, his girlfriend, his wife-to-be; he had signed up for this. He never became angry. Sure, he argued, but he never became angry or upset. After almost four months of experience, Nick had learned that being quiet was honestly the best thing he could do. Unfortunately, Nick could _never _be quiet.

"So, Gideon does what exactly?"

Judy rolled her eyes, already wanting to strangle Nick.

"He makes pies," she huffed.

"Like running a bakery?"

"Yes."

"Hmm," Nick murmured in thought.

Judy glanced over at him, somewhat annoyed that that was all he wanted to know.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You asked a question, didn't you?"

Nick heard the anger rising in Judy's tone, and smirked.

"I just find it interesting that he works at a bakery."

"Why?"

Nick remained silent, but Judy's intuition answered her question for her.

"Are you really comparing the fact that you are an officer to him being a baker?"

Nick shrugged, trying not to have a facial expression. Judy, however, was on fire.

"You were a _con artist_ at one point!" she yelled. "Not even a good one, either! You hustled pawpsicles!"

"Hey, that was a reasonable business!"

The rest of the trip to Bunnyburrow was filled with Judy's angry sighs and Nick's instigating smirks. When they finally arrived, Judy seemed to have gained the majority of her cheery mood back. Within seconds of parking the SUV, she was out of the car, already dragging her things from the backseat. Nick was quick, grabbing her bags before she hurt herself.

It was mid-morning when they arrived, the sun warm and comforting with a gentle breeze in the air. Now weighed down by their luggage, Nick followed Judy up to the front door of her family's burrow. She didn't even get the chance to ring the doorbell, knock on the door, or even reach for either one before the door flew open. It was Judy's parents who answered, but Nick barely had the chance to even look them in the eye due to the fact that he was immediately blinded by the army of baby bunnies that flew toward his face after the door had opened. He yelled out, but was tackled before he could do much else. The mountain of bunnies that trampled him were screaming a million joyful sentences in high-pitched voices, a noise that instantly deafened Nick on top of being blinded. Judy just giggled and hugged both of her parents in greeting.

"Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad!"

"Judy, Honey, look at you!" Bonnie smiled as she gestured toward Judy's abdomen.

"Just about four and half months now," Judy laughed. "Almost halfway through!"

"Are you all set up? Have everything you need?"

"Yes, Dad, of course. We just finished painting the house the other day."

"Oh, Judy, you'll have to send pictures when you get back!"

"I will, Mom."

Nick let out a groan as he attempted to lift himself off of the ground and away from the hoard of bunnies. Most of the babies seemed to be attracted to his tail, which was now nearly invisible among the bunnies. He attempted to brush off the children without harming them, but did not prevail. He then gave Judy and her parents a pleading look. Judy rolled her eyes, but walked over and picked up one of the youngest children who was attached to Nick's shirt. The little baby bunny wore a tiny blue sundress and sported a bright blue bow placed at the base of one of her ears. She smiled happily at Judy's attention.

"Okay, let's give Nick a break, you guys. Why don't you all go find one toy to show him after lunch?" Judy suggested.

At this, the bunnies grinned and shrieked before running in different directions to find a toy to present later on. Nick sighed and attempted to smooth his ruffled fur.

"Thanks, Carrots. I still can't figure out how you're so good at that."

"Good at what?" Judy asked as she gently rocked the baby bunny in her arms, glancing down with loving expressions.

"That."

Nick gestured at the giggling baby before smoothing his tail.

"Here," Judy smiled as she passed the baby into Nick's arms.

The fox went stiff, uncomfortable with the little squiggling life in his hands. Judy laughed and stepped forward to help.

"Bend your arms and make a little cradle."

"Like this?"

"Yes, but don't be so stiff. You're holding a baby, not a doll."

"Okay."

"Now move your arms closer to your body so that she's nestled against you. There. You got it."

Nick held his breath as the bunny nuzzled up to him, tugging on his shirt gently as she made herself comfortable. Judy smiled at the two before giving Nick a swift kiss on the cheek.

"I'm going to go help my parents make lunch. I'll be right back."

Judy turned and strolled into her family burrow after her parents. Nick immediately went stiff again.

"Carrots! Wait! Take the baby! Carrots!"

Judy ignored him, the skirt of her dress bouncing slightly as she shut the front door behind her. Nick stood alone in front of the burrow, a partially asleep baby in his arms.

"Okay... okay, I can do this," Nick muttered hesitantly to himself as he peered down at the snoozing bunny.

He readjusted slightly, trying to take the baby out of the blindingly bright sunlight, but stopped when he saw her stir. Leaving the luggage in the yard for the time being, Nick then shuffled toward the front door, where he eased the door open with his back. Once inside, he quietly nudged the door shut. Letting out a sigh of relief and believing to have succeeded, Nick took a step forward further into the house. Unfortunately, his foot hit a toy, which came to life with incredibly loud music. The baby instantly started crying, completely wailing at the top of her lungs. Nick sighed heavily.

"This is going to be a great weekend."


	45. Chapter 45

Only one word is needed to describe an average meal in the Hopps household: chaos.

Absolute chaos.

Baby bunnies were everywhere; they bounced off the walls, jumped on the table and chairs, coated the floor. Bonnie had made a fantastically delicious carrot stew that was yummy for everyone one except for Nick, who still forced the vegetables down politely. Nick and Judy sat opposite of Judy's parents, letting the chaos around them just happen. Judy's siblings were a force to be reckoned with, and this wasn't even all of them; Judy's older siblings and the siblings who were close to her in age had left the house long ago to pursue their own goals and dreams within the confines of Bunnyburrow, with Judy being the exception. All that remained was the little ones, but that was nowhere near ideal. However, it seemed that Nick was the only one not accustomed to the constant movement in the Hopps home, but he didn't complain. After all, he was pretty sure that if he did complain, the hoard of bunnies would surely outrun him. Although Nick was slightly overwhelmed, he couldn't help but admit that he was beginning to enjoy all of Judy's younger siblings. Granted, he had had a somewhat bad experience with one of Judy's baby sisters earlier when she had begun wailing, but Judy had quickly come to the rescue, taking the baby into her arms and soothing her with light kisses. Nick had actually been sad to see her leave his arms, but he had enjoyed seeing the baby giggle and smile again at the sight of Judy. Nick was also becoming more comfortable with the kids when they were all interested in him at the same time. Just moments before everyone had been served for lunch, he had asked to see all of the toys the baby bunnies had collected, even though he technically didn't have to see them until after lunch. He had actually enjoyed seeing the excitement on all of the bunnies' faces as they fought over one another to show him their individual toys, which consisted of various stuffed animals and items from around the house.

Nick was starting to feel as if this trip to Bunnyburrow was going to teach him a thing or two about parenthood. After only a few hours of interacting with all of the baby bunnies, he was starting to think that he could actually be a pretty good father, and that maybe he wasn't as unprepared as he had originally thought. He had also quickly learned that Judy was going to be the perfect mother; seeing her caring nature toward all of her siblings confirmed that. Nick had always considered Judy to be the perfect mother, but now he had witnessed her amazing mothering skills, and this reassured him that even if he was bad at parenting at first, she had his back.

Just then, Nick's thoughts were interrupted by a clattering sound that managed to be louder than anything else in the room. Looking up, it became clear that Judy had dropped her spoon, letting it clang against the edge of her bowl. He barely had time to notice this, however, before Judy was shaking him excitedly.

"We completely forgot to tell them!"

"Tell them what?" Nick asked, afraid that he hadn't been listening to her again.

Judy's parents looked on in curiosity.

"Tell us what?" Stu asked, eyeing the two somewhat suspiciously.

"About my last appointment, Nick," Judy whispered with a smile.

"Ah, _that_," Nick nodded and smirked lazily as he finally understood her instant excitement.

"Tell us what, Judy?" Bonnie pressed, clearly feeling left out of something important.

"We found out the sexes of the babies earlier this week," Judy grinned, waiting for a reaction.

Her parents' faces lit up instantly in approval.

"That's wonderful!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"What are you having?" Stu asked.

Judy looked at Nick and nudged him, as if to say, "go on, tell them. They're your family too!" Nick looked up and smiled politely at the awaiting couple.

"Three boys and a girl," he answered.

"How precious! Congratulations you two!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Hopps."

"We've already picked out names!" Judy grinned again. "Alan, Robin, and Red for the boys, and Violet for the girl."

"Well, how about that. Those are perfect names, Jude the Dude."

"They're tentative, but we're pretty sure at the moment. Speaking of which, Nick, we haven't told your mother this either."

"We can tell her when we get back."

"She'll be so excited to know! We should call her later today and tell her."

"If we tell her while we're gone, she'll go out and buy baby clothes, and then break into the house to put them in the kids' room," Nick smirked.

"Oh, this is all so exciting!" Bonnie stated cheerfully as she reached out across the table and squeezed Judy's paw in delight.

"When is the wedding?" Stu asked.

In Nick's mind, gears halted, brakes screeched, glass shattered, smiles disappeared, and children screamed. Fear crept down his spine as the million-dollar question hit his ears like a gun shot. Stu had a habit of asking the questions that put everyone else on edge, but they were the important kind of questions that needed to be answered in a relatively soon manner. Judy cleared her throat nervously.

"Well, we're still working that all out, but it will be after the babies are born."

Stu nodded as he mulled this over. He then turned to Nick.

"Have you proposed yet?"

Nick's ears flattened against his head. This question was directed at him, not both he and Judy; if he didn't answer, it would look awful.

"Well, uh… I haven't _officially _proposed–"

"Why not?"

His tone wasn't angry, but very curious, almost suspicious.

"I, uh, well… I just need to do a few things first."

"Like what? Get the ring?"

Nick leaned back in his seat a little, somewhat more comfortable with this question than the other.

"No, I actually already have the ring," he stated confidently.

At this, Judy's ears perked up and her nose twitched slightly. She directed her attention toward Nick.

"You already have the ring?"

Nick glanced at her, but then glanced away, trying to keep eye contact with Stu.

"Yes, I do."

"When did you get it?"

At this question, Nick almost blushed. He felt his face turn warm as he tried to dodge answering.

"A while ago," he shrugged, now facing Judy.

"When exactly?"

Of course, she asked as many important questions as her father, that's where she got it from. Nick didn't want to answer this question, though. He didn't want to admit that he had bought the ring a very long time ago. He didn't want to admit that after Judy had left to go back to Bunnyburrow after their fight during the case that made their careers, he had used the money he had made while hustling pawpsicles to special order a wedding ring. He didn't want to admit that he had given it to Finnick for the time being, until he and Judy had started dating. He didn't want to admit that when he had gotten the ring back from Finnick, he had been absolutely ecstatic. He didn't want to admit that he kept it in his shirt pocket all of the time, right next to the iconic carrot pen the couple shared.

Shifting in his seat uneasily, Nick managed to mutter a reply.

"…almost three years ago…"

He immediately looked down at his lap, his face burning. The ring in his pocket seemed to feel heavy. Judy's mouth fell agape, and her eyes stung with tears.

"You bought it just a little bit after we met?"

Nick nodded, not really wanting to speak, but he knew he had to explain. To him, this was a major embarrassment; he had barely gotten to know Judy in an intimate way before he went out and bought a ring that he would hope she would wear.

"I bought it after we fought during that press conference. I didn't really start considering using it until we started dating."

Judy smiled and hugged him tightly.

"That's so sweet, Nick."

Nick felt his face become even warmer as he smiled slightly and hugged her back.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" she asked after pulling back.

"I was nervous, honestly," Nick shrugged lightly. "I know I should have proposed sooner, but it just didn't feel right yet."

Judy smiled again, tears still in her eyes, and kissed Nick on the cheek. Bonnie looked like she might also cry, and Stu looked happier than he did a few minutes ago.

"So, Nick, what things do you have to do first?" he asked.

"I have a date in mind, which I won't say because we have a certain someone in the room," Nick winked at Judy, who blushed. "But one thing I have to do is ask you permission."

Silence fell over the table. Most of the children had finished eating and had left the room to go and invoke chaos somewhere else, but there was still a dull roar among those left. For those who sat at the table, all attention was turned toward Stu as they all waited expectantly. When Stu finally did react to what Nick had said, Nick froze in shock.

Stu Hopps laughed.

Stu Hopps laughed, but it was a joyful laugh that brought a smile to Bonnie's face as well as ease the tension. He then stood up, sliding his chair back as he did so, and walked around to Nick, who also stood. Once in front of Nick (who was slightly taller than him), he clapped a paw on Nick's shoulder and brought him in for a large hug. Still laughing, he held Nick out by his shoulders and looked him up and down.

"I like you, Nick. You seem like you have everything figured out. I would be more than happy if you married Judy. You'll make a great husband and a great father."

"Thank you, sir."

"Bonnie and I want an invitation to the wedding, of course. I'd like to walk my daughter down the aisle."

"Of course."

"We'd also like to see you propose to her, if that's possible."

"Yes, I can do that."

With that, Stu gave Nick another pat on the shoulder before reaching across and grabbing his bowl of carrot stew that was now empty.

"Anybody up for seconds?"

The table laughed, and Judy stood to kiss Nick, who had a huge grin on his face. The entire moment was full of joy and perfection as more carrot stew was passed around. The blissful memory in the making came to a halt a few minutes later when someone knocked at the front door.

"Come in!" Bonnie called out.

No one was really paying attention to who it was until he stepped into the room.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

His country drawl attracted everyone's eyes, especially Nick's. Moments before, Nick's body had been red hot from embarrassment, but he now iced over at the realization that the fox in front of him could only be the same fox that he and Judy had argued about on the ride up and the same fox that had scratched Judy when they were kids. Judy shot up from her chair, a huge smile on her face.

"Gideon!"


	46. Chapter 46

_"You can't do this!"_

_"Watch me!"_

_"Please, you can't just leave!"_

_"You wanna bet me, Wilde?" _

_Judy opened the door to the burrow and waddled out into the cool night. Working around her swollen abdomen, she readjusted the bag that was slung over her shoulder before turning back to look at Nick. _

_"Carrots, wait! Where are going to go? You can't be by yourself like this."_

_"I'll stay with Gideon." _

_Nick's heart fell, the balloon in his chest deflating forever. _

_"No, please. Carrots–_Judy_, I love you."_

_"It's over, Nick."_

Nick awoke with a start as he sat up in bed, gasping for air. His fur was matted from the cold sweat his nightmare had caused and his ribs ached from his heavy breathing. It was the middle of the night and the room was dark, only dimly lit by the moonlight that filtered through the partially open curtains.

"Nick? What's going on?" Judy asked in a sleepy voice as she carefully sat up and placed a paw on Nick's arm.

Nick glanced down at her abdomen and sighed before looking back up into her tired eyes.

"Nothing, just a nightmare," he sighed.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, it's okay. Go back to sleep, Carrots."

"Nick…"

Her voice was soothing, yet worried. Her tone alone brought a small smile to Nick's face.

"I'm fine… really. Go back to sleep," he reassured her.

"You need to sleep too."

"I will, I'm just going to go and get a glass of water first."

Trying not to disturb Judy any more than he already had, Nick quietly slipped out from under the sheets and carefully crept from the room. From the corner of his eye, he saw Judy lean back into the bed and snuggle back into the blankets just before he exited the room.

Nick and Judy had been set up in a guest bedroom at Judy's family burrow for the night, but not until Stu had finished making several jokes about the two sharing a bed. Nick had laughed with the rabbit, but still felt as if the jokes held partial truth. Nick thought about these jokes as he quietly crept around the burrow, trying not to wake the hundreds of baby bunnies. Once in the kitchen, he turned on the sink and filled a glass of water. With a heavy sigh, he turned around to find a bedhead bunny standing by the kitchen table.

"_Gah_!"

_CRASH!_

"Jesus Christ, Judy!"

Nick quickly covered his mouth with a paw before dropping his volume down to a whisper.

"Warn me!" he hissed.

"Warn you?" the tired bunny laughed.

"Cough or something! Announce your presence!"

Judy glanced down at the wet kitchen floor that was now littered with glass shards. Her eyebrows rose as she looked back up at Nick.

"That's the third thing you've broken in the last year. That cup isn't even ours."

"I blame you."

"You would," Judy scoffed as she reached up and lightly smoothed her ruffled fur.

Nick grabbed a small towel from a nearby kitchen drawer and threw it down onto the wet floor.

"I thought you were asleep," he whispered.

"I was worried about you."

"So, you thought scaring me would help?"

Judy giggled.

"I didn't mean to scare you!" she exclaimed with a smile.

Nick smiled back at her before directing his attention to the digital clock on the stove.

"Ugh, is that really the time?"

Judy then looked over at the clock and let an over exaggerated look of disgust dawn on her face. It was 2:00 AM.

"It's not too bad," she shrugged.

"It's too late. I say we fake illness and cancel our activities for today and just go home."

"We aren't canceling," Judy chuckled. "It'll be fun."

"Pie at Gideon's bakery, yeah, sounds like a blast."

Sarcasm heavily dripped across Nick's words. At lunch the previous day, Gideon had dropped by to bring the Hopps family a pie to share that night. He and Judy chatted for a while, leading to Gideon inviting both her and Nick to visit his bakery sometime before they left Bunnyburrow. Judy happily accepted, of course. At the mention of Gideon, Nick shivered slightly as his nightmare briefly flashed at the forefront of his mind. Judy noticed his change in facial expression as the shiver went down his spine.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Judy thumped her foot quietly.

"What was your nightmare about?" she questioned.

"Just stuff."

"Stuff like what?"

"Stuff like you."

"What about me?"

"Just stuff, I don't know," Nick shook his head.

"Nick…"

There it was again; the tone that made Nick want to tell Judy everything in seconds. Nick took a deep breath and ran a paw over his face.

"I had a nightmare that you left."

"That I left?"

"You know… _left_."

"Oh."

Judy's face fell, but she quickly regained composure and took Nick's paw in her own.

"I'm not going anywhere, Nick. You don't have to be worried about that."

"I'm not worried about it, but that nightmare obviously wasn't great."

Judy nodded thoughtfully.

"We're still going today, though," she finally said.

At this, Nick groaned dramatically before pretending to die by slumping on the floor.

"Always the theatrics," Judy sighed before sauntering back to their room.

After pulling himself off of the floor and then cleaning up the mess that the shattered glass of water had left, Nick followed her. The two talked for a little while, mostly argued about going to Gideon's bakery or not, and then fell asleep. They were awoken a few hours later by the squeals of the first baby bunnies awake for the day.

"Nooo," Nick groaned as Judy pulled on his arms, out of breath from the effort. "I don't want to go."

Judy rolled her eyes and made a noise of disgust, throwing her arms up in defeat as she did so.

"Fine, stay in bed. I'll go to the bakery myself."

Nick popped up from the bed immediately.

"I'm up," he said.

Judy laughed and pushed him back onto the bed before lying down on top of him and giving him a very passionate kiss on the lips, which Nick accepted gratefully.

It didn't take long for the two to get ready for the day and to pack their things, but Nick complained the entire time, making Judy giggle when he did. They were planning to say goodbye to Judy's family, go and visit Gideon at his bakery for a few hours, and then leave Bunnyburrow afterward. They were hoping to be home sometime in the evening so they could have the rest of the night for themselves and get ready for the beginning of their week. It only took them an hour and a half to be completely ready to go, and once they were ready, they stood just outside of the front door of the burrow and bid everyone farewell.

"You call us if you need anything."

"We will, Mom."

"And call us soon, or visit."

"Okay, Dad."

"I would tell you to watch out for predators, especially foxes, but you've taken care of that," Stu chuckled as he gave Nick another heavy pat on the shoulder.

Nick smirked and laughed along with him, while Judy looked bashful.

"You ready, Carrots?"

Judy nodded before giving her parents one more final hug. Leaving Judy's parents at the door, the two walked out to their parked SUV, where Nick helped Judy up into the car.

"Oh, hold on, I forgot something," Nick muttered before jogging back to where Judy's parents stood in the entryway of their home.

Her parents looked on with puzzled expressions as he jogged toward them, wondering what had happened.

"Mr. Hopps. Mrs. Hopps," Nick greeted them with a smile. "I plan on proposing to Judy on her birthday in a couple of months. I'm throwing a party at our house and inviting friends and family. I just thought I would let you know."

At this, Bonnie and Stu smiled.

"We'll be there," Stu said as the couple brought Nick in for a hug.

Nick then jogged back to the SUV and waved to Judy's parents as he got into the car. Judy waved and smiled back at her parents as Nick pulled the car out onto the main road that ran through Bunnyburrow. It was a very short ride until they were pulling into a parking space just outside of a small shop that was striped in lavender and white colors.

"Here we are," Judy grinned as she hopped out of the car without Nick's help.

Nick followed, opening the door of the shop for her once he caught up. The inside of the bakery was filled with animals who sat at various little circular tables and booths that were scattered about, and the entire environment smelled of baked goods. Gideon was standing behind the counter that sat in the middle of the shop, serving a pie to an elderly grandmother rabbit. When he saw Judy and Nick (mainly just Judy), a large smile dawned on his face and he waved to greet them. The fox then set out a sign that read "ON BREAK" and came out from behind the counter to officially greet them.

"Judy, it's good to see ya. Thank ya for stopping by."

"No problem at all. You've met Nick," Judy smiled as she gestured toward Nick, who stood awkwardly nearby.

"I sure 'ave,"

Gideon smiled as he shook Nick's paw. Nick didn't smile back, but he returned the shake. Gideon then led the couple to a booth somewhat near the back of the bakery. He slid in on one side while Judy and Nick slid in opposite.

"How have you been Gideon?" Judy asked.

"I've been good. How about ya?"

"Pretty good. We recently moved to a new home, which is pretty exciting."

"Sounds fun. Say Judy, I 'ave to say that I was pretty surprised when ya called."

"How come?"

"We didn't exactly get 'long as kids, ya know."

"That was the past, Gideon. I wanted to see you again, since it's been so long."

"I sure am sorry, though. About the scratches, that is."

"I know, but you don't have to be sorry."

Gideon smiled gratefully. Judy then asked when he had acquired the bakery and had begun the business, which Gideon happily replied to, but Nick was no longer listening; he was wondering about what exactly happened between Gideon and Judy when they were children. Judy had told him that Gideon had bullied her for being prey, and that he had scratched her one day. The scars from his attack were barely visible on Judy's face now, but they were still there, and Nick saw them every time he leaned in to kiss her. Nick wasn't wondering about this, though, he was more concerned with other details, like how Judy reacted to Gideon when he had scratched her and what led to him scratching her exactly. Nick became lost in thought as he wondered over these minute things. On the trip to Bunnyburrow, Judy had been convinced that Nick was jealous of Gideon, and granted, Nick hadn't done such a fantastic job to lead her away from that idea, but he honestly wasn't jealous. Nick was more worried about Judy's safety then anything, so he wasn't jealous, but rather very concerned. He knew that it had been a very long time since Gideon had done anything violent, but he still didn't like the idea of putting his pregnant girlfriend in any possibly dangerous scenario. Yes, in the car he had reacted somewhat negatively by stopping the vehicle completely, but this was only because of his worrisome ways. Who could blame him? His girlfriend had been in danger several other times before, and now that she was pregnant, it only gave him more reason to watch out for her. Even when he had asked what Gideon's profession was, he only wanted to know to make sure that it wasn't a profession that was physically building; he had been glad to hear "baker."

Nick briefly tuned back into the conversation to here Judy talking about the babies.

"I gotta say, Judy, hearing that ya're dating a fox was a bit surprising to me."

"Nick and I have been good friends for a very long time."

"Just about three years," Nick cut in.

Judy looked at him, shocked that he had said anything at all, but then smiled and allowed the conversation to continue. After some conversing, Nick found that he actually liked Gideon; he seemed put together and an overall nice fox. In the end, Nick was kind of disappointed that the chatting couldn't continue, but they did have to leave, or they would get home much too late. Saying goodbye to Gideon, the couple got back into the SUV and began their journey home.

On the way home, the two laughed and joked as they listened to music and told stories from the past. It was one of those blissful moments where Nick enjoyed seeing Judy's dazzling smile, and Judy loved to hear Nick's laugh when he found something extremely funny. They were just two animals in love, with four babies on the way and nothing to make their world shake.

Until they got home that is.

It was late in the afternoon. Nick was in the driveway of their home, unloading their luggage from the backseat. Judy had fallen asleep about thirty minutes before they had arrived home, so Nick had carefully carried her upstairs and laid her in bed. He was doing a final check of the car to make sure they had removed all of their personal belongings when a dark colored bag was thrown over his head, instantly blinding him as the world went dark.


	47. Chapter 47

Judy woke up about an hour later with a smile on her face.

It was becoming more and more difficult to sleep with her growing abdomen; she now found that she often woke up several times throughout the night, but she had actually slept fairly well during her little nap after the weekend visit to her parents' home. She hopped out of bed and noticed that Nick was missing.

"_Probably watching TV on the couch again_," Judy thought with a sigh and a shake of her head.

She made the bed, smoothing the covers as she did so, before heading to the bathroom to take a nice hot bath. After her bath, she redressed and smoothed her ears.

"Nick? You down here?" Judy called as she carefully waddled down the stairs.

The house was silent, making worry creep into Judy's heart.

"_Okay, maybe he went to get dinner_?" Judy considered as she made her way to the kitchen.

Once there, she looked out the window and was shocked to see that their SUV was still parked in the driveway, the trunk of the car left open. The sun was setting now, illuminating everything with an orange glow. Judy swallowed hard, now very worried. She left the kitchen and headed down the hall to the front door, but stopped suddenly when she saw that it was wide open, swinging eerily back in forth in the day's light breeze. Stepping carefully, Judy approached the door and looked out into the yard.

"Nick?" she called, but there was still no reply.

Judy then quickly shut the front door, locking the deadbolt as she did so.

"Okay," she exhaled, her breathing hitched. "I think it's time to call someone."

Judy then quickly did a sweep of the bottom floor of the house, making sure Nick, or anyone else, wasn't present, but didn't find anything. She then made her way upstairs and did the same thing on the top floor before grabbing her cell phone and dialing Nick's cell phone number, praying for an answer. The line rang for a few moments before sending her to voicemail.

"Nick? Where are you? The front door was wide open, and the car trunk was open too, so I'm a little freaked out…" Judy said as she made her way back downstairs and toward the living room. "I'm going to go ahead and call the police, but please call me back if you can and reassure me that you aren't hurt."

Judy ended the call, looking down as she did so, just as she walked into the living room.

Due to the house's setup, the first floor consisted of the kitchen being closer to the front of the house, while the living room was toward the back. The living room was the only room in the house that led to the backyard, which was fenced in. There was a large sliding glass door on the far wall of the living room, opposite of where Judy entered, and it was surrounded by a few square feet of tiled floor on the inside and a large wooden patio on the outside. After Judy had ended the call, she looked up, her vision directly meeting the backyard from her view through the glass door, and the sight that met her made her gasp and drop her phone on the carpeted floor with a soft thump.

Things moved very fast after Nick had the bag thrown over his head. He had felt several paws snag him and throw him into what he assumed was a vehicle that was not his own. He had yelled out in surprise, but it was useless, as he was in the vehicle in seconds, which immediately sped away. He could feel rope tying his paws back behind him. His thoughts immediately flew to Judy, who he knew to be asleep upstairs, completely defenseless with both the SUV and the house left unlocked and unattended. Nick fought back and struggled, but someone much stronger than him held him down easily in the backseat of the vehicle that was now his prison for the time being. Nick began to think, breaking down the basics.

"_They were waiting for us, there must have been a car parked across the street from the house or else I would have heard them pull up_…_They knew we were on a trip_…_They've been watching us_…_I don't have my tranq gun_…_Judy has hers in her nightstand, next to her phone, but can she get to it in time? Are they going to take her too or do something worse? Oh God, please let her and the babies be okay_…"

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt the vehicle come to a stop. He strained his ears for any voice or sound that might be a tip off to what was going on, but he heard nothing. He had no idea of what was happening or what he would do; he didn't even know what type of car he was in, and it was clear that he was outnumbered with at least one animal who was much stronger than him. Nick then felt paws on him again as he was dragged from the vehicle. He struggled again and yelled out for help, threatening anyone nearby with choice words.

"You touch my wife and I will personally _hunt you down_! You hear me? Huh? You made a _big_ mistake buddy, I'm a cop! You're in for it!"

Nick could feel grass brush against his feet and legs as he was dragged for what he thought was at least four or five meters before he was thrown onto the ground. Someone grabbed him roughly and forced him up onto his knees.

"_Execution style_," he thought with horror, secretly beginning to pray for Judy's safety once he was gone.

"Funny, I thought Judy hadn't tied you down with a ring just yet," a rough voice chuckled.

Nick's breath caught quickly, the balloon in his chest causing discomfort.

"_They know her name_," he thought.

Then, Nick grinned and even laughed as he recognized the voice.

"Are you freaking kidding me right now, Finnick?"

A loud noise that sounded like hundreds of cheers met Nick's ears just before the bag was pulled from his head and he was suddenly face-to-face with his best con artist friend. Finnick was grinning, clearly proud of himself, and he was surrounded by dozens of animals, all cheering and hooting. Nick sighed heavily and laughed even harder as he shook his head.

"You almost gave me a heart attack, man!"

He looked around and noticed that they were in some kind of amusement park, and that only his friends were there. Finnick cut the rope from Nick's paws and let him stand. Once on his feet, Nick finally began to recognize those present. Finnick, Mr. Big and his henchmen, Weaselton, and all of his male work friends were there.

"Guess you're the one stronger than me," Nick laughed as he recognized the Chief.

"Was I ever not, Wilde?" the Chief smirked.

Finnick came back into view with a bottle of beer.

"We think Dad deserves one last party before his responsibilities come in," the fennec fox laughed as he handed over the bottle.

Nick rolled his eyes.

"A bachelor party?"

"Think of it more as a baby shower for Dad," Delgato laughed.

Nick took a long sip from the bottle and threw his hands up, making everyone cheer. From then on, things became blurry as the party began and the drinks were thrown back.

Judy almost cried as she saw the massive party in her backyard. Every inch of her yard was covered in streamers and balloons colored pink and blue. Nick's mother caught her eye and quickly ran over, opening the sliding glass door to greet her.

"Mrs. Wilde?"

"Judy, come here!"

"What is going on?"

"A baby shower, of course, Honey!" Judy laughed and sighed at how silly she must have seemed moments before when she was so worried.

"Where's Nick?"

"Oh, he's caught up in his own little party. Trust me, though, there's a reason these types of things are only for women," Nick's mother smiled with a wink.

Judy followed her into the backyard, where several animals called out in greeting. Judy waved and smiled, noticing that Fru Fru and her babies were there, as well as her female coworkers, her mother, Nick's mother, and the majority of her bunny sisters. There were tables set up around the yard; gifts on a couple of them, food on the rest. For the next few hours, Judy was showered in gifts and food, as well as congratulatory remarks as everyone told her stories about their own kids and gave her advice. She took time to catch up with each of the guests, including her own family, who she had seen only hours before. There was also quite a bit of gossip as the women talked about everything that had to do with babies, marriage, and of course, Nick. When the party dispersed, Nick's mother and Bonnie remained to help Judy clean up the backyard after she had thanked everyone and shown them out. Finally, Judy's mother had to say goodbye to make the long journey home, which left Nick's mother and Judy to put away the new things that Judy had acquired. It wasn't until much later in the night that the two heard a car screech to a stop in front of the house. The two looked out of the window to witness a group of completely drunk males trying to help an even more drunk Nick get out of the car.

"Oh, Lord," Judy sighed at the sight.

"I should probably leave you to deal with him," Nick's mother chuckled. "If I even talk to him, I'll end up beating him with a skillet."

Mrs. Wilde helped Judy out onto the front porch of the house just in time to meet Nick, who was staggering and nearly crawling. Judy thanked Mrs. Wilde as she took hold of Nick and directed him into the house. She led him to the kitchen, where she sat him down on the floor against one of the walls.

"Heyyy," he slurred at her once they were situated.

"You are going to have alcohol poisoning," Judy scoffed as she struggled to sit down on the floor next to him.

"I'm…I'm who–no, wait…Oh! I'm sorry,_ that's_ what I meant. I was…uh…what was I doing?"

"You were at your own little baby shower, or bachelor's party; there's really no difference. Your mother told me all about it."

"Ah, of course!" Nick exclaimed as he drunkenly threw his paws into the air, as if everything in the world finally made sense.

"You're unbelievable," Judy rolled her eyes.

"And you're _cute_," Nick hiccupped as he tapped Judy's nose.

Judy chuckled lightly before gently pushing him back against the wall. She then got up and found a glass to put some ice water in for Nick. When she returned with it, he drank it happily, nearly spilling it three different times. When he was done, she took the glass to refill it, but Nick stopped her with a tug on her arm just as she was standing up.

"H-hey, we have to–have to… talk."

Eyebrows furrowed, Judy carefully sat back down on the floor and waited for him to continue. He hiccupped once more and ran a paw over his face before sighing loudly, as if he didn't want to say what he was thinking.

"I…I don't think we–well, we can't…it's o-over."

"Nick, what are you talking about?"

"I-I'm leaving…it doesn't work–doesn't work anymore."

"_What_ exactly doesn't work anymore?"

"You–or me–or…I can't remember."

"Are you saying we don't work anymore?"

Nick gestured to his nose, as if to say, "yes, that's it exactly." Judy's breath caught in her throat. Surely, he was too drunk to know what he was saying. He wouldn't actually leave her, not after all of this time…right? The doubt remained, nagging Judy as she sat on the kitchen floor staring at her drunken boyfriend. How could this happen? Weren't they happy? Hadn't they always been happy?

"_No_," Judy thought. "_We haven't _always_ been happy, but that's because we have fought like a normal couple. That doesn't justify this, does it_?"

She felt tears begin to sting her eyes, but she refused to cry. After all, Nick was drunk, and she could be completely overreacting.

"Nick–"

"Shhh," Nick stated in a wavering tone as he sat up and put a paw to her mouth to silence her.

"Don't–don't make me stay–don't make me stay. I…have to go 'cause–I just have to go."

"Why do you have to go, Nick?"

"'Cause you–you don't care–you don't care 'bout me. I don't trust you–you just do whatever–whatever you want."

Judy bit back her tears as she listened to him, even more confused. She had always cared, hadn't she? Nick had always trusted her, hadn't he?

"Nick, I care about you," she replied gently.

"No, no, no, no. I know–okay, I know 'bout the money."

"The money?"

"The–the money you took from Fin."

"From Finnick?" Judy asked, a little puzzled. "Nick, I never took any money from Finnick."

Nick sighed as if he were a child being ignored.

"Fin told me, Val. I know 'bout–'bout the money."

"'Val'…" Judy chuckled lightly, now wiping the tears from her eyes in relief. "Nick, I'm not Valerie."

"You're–you're not?"

"No, Honey, I'm not," Judy laughed as she scooted across the floor so that she was leaning up against the wall next to the fox.

He was watching her closely, no recognition in his eyes. Judy reached out and brought his face closer to hers.

"I'm Judy, Nick. You know? Judy. Judy Hopps. Carrots?"

"Where's Valerie?"

"She's gone, Nick. You broke up with her a long time ago."

Nick nodded, seemingly mulling this over.

"Do you… do you miss her, Nick?"

Judy instantly regretted her words, but she wanted to know. Nick shook his head a little harder than he needed to.

"No, she's mean," he replied in slurred words.

Judy laughed and kissed his cheek.

"I'm sorry you didn't trust her."

Nick just shrugged heavily before looking down at the floor.

In that moment, Judy felt that she had a very strong look into Nick's world, something she rarely had. Judy and Nick had always been almost completely opposite, and when they understood each other, it was something truly special. Judy was very open, so for Nick, knowing how she felt on a daily basis was easy. The only thing Nick ever had to decipher about her was that she didn't like getting hurt in such a way that it restricted or limited her, which wasn't very hard either. Nick, however, was a complex character who simply smirked and let on a show that he was always fine when he really wasn't. Judy had learned that he had had pain in his life when he had told her the story of being muzzled for the first time, which she was more than grateful to know, but it felt as if that was all she knew; she didn't know Nick's dreams or passions, or his biggest fears. Now, though, she got another peak into Nick's world as it became apparent that Valerie was not just another ex, she was _the _ex; the ex that would always bother Nick because she had broken his heart after she had built him up to believe that they were perfect for each other. In that moment, Judy felt bad for thinking that he would ever do anything with Valerie, because only someone ignorant would think that. If she had really thought about it, she would have realized that Valerie had caused Nick so much pain that Nick wouldn't even think about her in that way ever again. Nick had only smiled and gone along with everything because that's just who he was.

Judy leaned in and kissed Nick on the cheek again, only pulling away to lean on his shoulder comfortably.

"I love you, Nick."

"Who are you 'gain?"

Judy couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm Judy."

"Right…Carrot?"

"It's _Carrots_, but yeah, that's me."

"I love you, Carrot."

Judy smiled and snuggled closer to Nick.

"Are we–are we dating?" Nick hiccupped.

"We actually are going to get married," Judy grinned again, truly amused.

At this, Nick's eyes widened considerably.

"Really?" he asked as he sat up and looked at Judy.

Judy nodded.

"Wow," he breathed. "You're–you are–you're super hot."

"Ha, thank you," Judy snorted.

"_How_…did I–I get _you_?"

"You basically got me pregnant."

Nick's eyes widened again.

"You're–really?"

Judy rolled her eyes as she watched Nick's reaction, but nodded in reply. It was as if she was telling him the news all over again. Nick ran both of his paws over his face in disbelief.

"Here," Judy smiled as she grabbed one of Nick's paws and placed it on her swollen abdomen.

Nick's face instantly lit up at the contact. Just then, Judy felt a small stripe of pain shoot across her abdomen. She winced slightly, momentarily caught off guard, but ignored it.

"Let's get you to bed, Nick."


	48. Chapter 48

"Hey, Nick?"

"I'm in the shower!"

Judy had been in the babies' room, folding tiny clothes and putting them in the dresser drawers when her phone had buzzed for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day, even though it was only late morning. It was Clawhauser, of course, replying to Judy's last text message.

It had been five weeks since the baby shower, and Judy was now twenty-five weeks along in her pregnancy. It was becoming more difficult to do simple things such as sleep, walk, or even sit, but she was starting to grow somewhat used to it. Nick found the entire thing hilarious since he was not required to go through any of it, but Judy didn't mind that either; she knew he cared deep down. It had also been five weeks since Nick's "night out" that had given him a hangover that had lasted late into the following day. Judy babied him while he endured the headaches and the vomiting, but she also made sarcastic comments because that was what he deserved after being so irresponsible. They never spoke of that night, though, which hadn't bothered Judy until this morning. She had told Nick all about her baby shower after his hangover had disappeared, but he barely said two words about his night over the last five weeks, which made Judy incredibly suspicious. She had actually forgotten all about it until that morning when she was texting Clawhauser (as usual), and he mentioned the party. Surprised that Clawhauser would be at such a party when he almost never drank alcohol, Judy had then asked if he had been present, which he responded to in the affirmative, pushing Judy to then ask what exactly happened that night. When she heard her phone vibrate on top of the dresser, Judy picked it up and saw that as a reply, Clawhauser had sent several different photos, all picturing Nick that night. Once she saw it, she called out to Nick, who just happened to be in the shower. She was in the bathroom in minutes, wrenching the glass shower door open.

"Whoa, Carrots! I'm showering here!"

"Oh, it's nothing I haven't seen!" Judy scoffed. "Quit acting like a teenager!"

Nick put his paws up in defense.

"Okay, is something wrong–"

"What is this?"

Judy held out the phone and showed Nick one of the pictures she had been sent. The photo depicted a beyond wasted Nick heavily entranced by a gazelle stripper in the most scandalous of positions. At the sight of the photo, Nick's face lost all of its color.

"Thought so," Judy scoffed before swiping to the next picture. "How about this one?"

This time, the photo had captured Nick when he was getting a tattoo done by a very unofficial looking tiger in what appeared to be a very unsanitary place. Nick gulped loudly, turning away from Judy slightly so she wouldn't see the tattoo that was set in between his shoulder blades. She noticed.

"Let me see the tattoo, Nick."

Nick swallowed hard again.

"What tattoo?"

"The one I know is on your back. Turn around."

Wincing as he did so, Nick turned, revealing a somewhat small tattoo of a carrot on his back. Judy choked back a laugh.

"I might let that one slide since it's kind of adorable," she giggled.

Nick sighed with relief and turned back to the bunny, hot water still pouring down on him.

"Carrots, it was just one party–"

"Oh, I'm not done yet. Here," Judy swiped to another photo on her phone. "This one is my personal favorite."

The third photo shown pictured a drunken Nick and a drunken Delgato in a brief lip lock, one Judy was sure neither would have remembered, but it was entertaining, nonetheless. Nick looked like he might pass out. The water was still running, and Judy now took the liberty of reaching in and shutting it off. She then gave Nick a very sour look before resting both of her paws on her lower back.

"You want to tell me about your night now, Nick? I'm very interested to hear about the stripper."

"Where did you get these?"

"Clawhauser."

Nick shook his head in disbelief.

"Clawhauser wasn't even there…was he?"

"Oh, he was there, and he was very _sober_, unlike you. I'm about to buy him a box of donuts for sending me these."

"I might just poison them," Nick muttered, not really angry, but definitely not excited.

"Tell me about the stripper."

"It was a bachelor party, of course there was a stripper there, Carrots."

"Fair point," Judy said with a nod of her head. "But why was she on top of you?"

"She wasn't on top of me–"

"I've got more pictures, Nick," Judy smirked. "And let me just say, I am very surprised about what she puts in her mouth."

This time, Nick's face flushed a deep shade of red; it was the first time Judy had ever seen Nick blush from being completely embarrassed.

"Y-you don't have pictures of that," he breathed.

"Oh, you bet I do."

"I was drunk–"

"Trust me, I know."

"And I'm very sorry–"

"You know, I should put these pictures into a collage, print them, and then frame them. _Then_, I'll hang them in the kids' room," Judy snickered. "Delgato looks like a good kisser."

"Do not tell him!"

"Then again, so does this stripper," Judy teased, ignoring his comment.

Nick blushed again, making Judy smile.

"Relax," she laughed. "I'm not mad and I'm not going to make a big deal about it or bring it up ever again."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Thank you…" Nick let out another sigh of relief. "Wait, what's the catch?"

"You have to rub my feet every night before bed until the babies are born."

"And you promise never to bring it up again?"

"Promise."

"Deal."

Nick and Judy shook paws. Judy then leaned in and gave Nick a kiss on the cheek before turning the shower back on. On her way out of the bathroom, she reached over and flushed the empty toilet, making boiling hot water filter into Nick's shower. Nick yelped out in surprise, which Judy grinned evilly at before heading down to the kitchen to start making lunch.

Down in the kitchen, the bunny was busy making sandwiches when she felt an awkward feeling in her abdomen. It was a small amount of pressure in one spot that lasted for a few seconds, then stopped, but then picked up again in a different spot. It wasn't like the pain that Judy had experienced the day of the baby shower, even though she had experienced that pain a few times since then. She had decided not to tell Nick about that incident, since the pain wasn't too bad, and she didn't feel the need to worry him. She had a doctor's appointment coming up anyhow, so she would be able to find out soon enough. This new feeling, though, wasn't necessarily pain, but more discomfort than anything. The feeling started to pick up slightly, the spots of pressure either growing or happening more often. Then, Judy felt a very strong amount of pressure that made her grit her teeth. She put the mustard bottle she had been holding in one paw down onto the counter and placed that paw on her lower back, closing her eyes through the pressure. She was still holding a plate that had a few of the finished sandwiches on it. When the spot of pressure formed again at an increased intensity, Judy realized exactly what was happening.

_SMASH!_

"_Nick_!"

"Judy?"

Nick came sprinting down from the bathroom, his fur still drenched from showering. He had left the water running; steam easily escaped through the now open bathroom door. At this rate, their water bill was going to be ridiculous.

Judy was standing in the kitchen with a huge grin plastered across her face. A small white plate lay in shards on the tile floor beside her, a few sandwiches in pieces on the floor near the plate.

"What's going on?" Nick asked nervously, holding his towel around his slender waist.

"I just felt a kick."

"You what?"

"I felt a kick! Come here!"

Nick walked over and carefully placed a paw to her abdomen.

"I don't feel anything–"

"Just wait a minute."

Nick waited patiently, his soaking wet fur dripping water onto the tiled floor. It was almost two minutes later when Nick felt a shift and a nudge under his paw, making him look up at a beaming Judy.

"Oh my God… is that–?"

"Yes!"

"Wow, those–those are our kids!" Nick laughed.

"I know!" Judy beamed back at him.

Nick glanced down at the plate shattered on the floor.

"We have got to stop dropping things."

"We only drop things when something really unexpected happens."

"Exactly," Nick chuckled.

Judy smiled and placed a paw on her abdomen next to Nick's, feeling the kicks from a different angle. The couple stood there for a long time, enjoying the moment, until Judy cleared her throat.

"Nick, where are your clothes?"

"Crap, the shower!"

Nick sprinted upstairs to shut the water off and quickly dry off before getting dressed in a hurry so that he could feel the babies kicking again. When he came back down, he was fumbling with his button-up Hawaiian shirt, trying to untangle it. Judy chuckled as she watched his antics.

"Do you need help?"

"No," Nick laughed. "I've got it–"

Just then, a soft tinkling sound filled the kitchen as Nick flipped his shirt over and something fell from his shirt pocket down onto the tiled floor. Judy watched the object roll a few inches before it came to a stop between them.

"Is that–?" Judy asked, bending over carefully to reach for the object.

"Carrots, wait, I don't want you to see it just yet."

Judy gaped at the ring in her paws and then at Nick.

"You've had this in your shirt pocket the whole time?" she asked.

Nick nodded.

"I'm sorry, you weren't supposed to see it yet."

"It's gorgeous," Judy grinned. "It's absolutely gorgeous."

Nick smiled too, but then faltered slightly.

"I wasn't going to propose for a while."

"When are you planning on doing it?"

Nick hesitated, which made Judy giggle.

"Oh, come on, you can tell me, Nick!"

Nick stepped forward and took the ring from her paws.

"If I do something right now, do you promise to wait until I actually propose?"

"But when are you going to propose?" Judy asked again.

"Soon, I promise," Nick assured her. "But I want it to be a surprise."

"Okay. What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to show you, but I'm going to hide the ring after I do it. This time, it won't be in my shirt pocket, so you won't go looking for it."

Judy smiled at his joke.

"Okay, what are you going to do now?"

Nick took a deep breath.

"This," he replied as he bent down on one knee, the ground still covered in broken plates and sandwiches.

Judy put a paw to her mouth, tears instantly filling her eyes. Nick smiled and tried to fight back tears himself.

"Carrots, will you marry me?"

Tears were streaming down Judy's cheeks now. She held back a sob as she bent down and hugged him the best she could with her growing abdomen.

"Yes!"


	49. Chapter 49

"Carrots, we've known each other for years now, and every moment of it has just been absolutely perfect, so now, I need to ask: will you marry me?"

"Oh, how sweet! No."

"Finnick, please take this seriously."

"I am; she could say 'no' at any time."

"She's not going to say 'no'," Nick stated with a roll of his eyes as he stood up from bent knee.

Finnick was standing in the back of his open van, watching Nick practice the perfect proposal. This was the tenth time the two had gone through the same rehearsal.

Finnick reached out and slapped the side of Nick's head.

"Of course, she's not going to say 'no,' you moron! You already proposed in your kitchen!"

Nick gave him a nasty look as he reached up and rubbed the sore spot on his head.

"That wasn't the big thing, though, man. Tomorrow's the big deal and I want everything to be perfect. I promised that this would be a big deal for her, so I have to make sure everything runs smoothly."

"Is that why I'm wearing a dress?" the small fox asked with a bitter look.

"You had to be in character," Nick snickered as he looked over Finnick, who was wearing his usual clothes with a yellow sundress roughly pulled over them.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Finnick snapped.

He then wiggled out of the dress in the most ungraceful way possible and threw the material in Nick's face. Nick pulled the dress off of himself and smirked.

"Look man, you know this is important."

"Nick, you don't need to practice. Anything you say is going to be perfect to her."

"I don't know that, though–"

"Dude, she's madly in love with you _and _she's pregnant; the situation couldn't get any more ideal!"

"I guess you have a point there," Nick chuckled. "You're going to be there, right?"

"I've got nothing better to do."

Finnick brought Nick in for a side arm hug before Nick bid the fox goodbye, and then left, turning out of the alley that Finnick's van was parked in and walking down the sidewalk of Main Street. It took a few minutes, but the fox eventually strolled his way right into the lobby of the ZPD. The lobby was silent – not even Clawhauser was at the reception desk – but that's what Nick had expected. He continued walking until he pushed through the door to the assignment room. The small room was packed with animal officers, including Clawhauser and the Chief; every officer of the ZPD was in that room, except Judy.

Nick had had to pull several strings and play his cards just right to work everything out, but he had managed to keep Judy at home for one day while he prepped for her 28th birthday party that would take place at their house the following night. Nick had been planning this party for a very long time, but things didn't start really going into effect until after Nick had secretly proposed to Judy in their kitchen on a sunny early afternoon almost five weeks ago. For the Wilde-Hopps household, things were beginning to speed up. Judy's pregnancy was progressing normally with no issues, but it felt like things were going so fast. In just another five weeks or so, Judy would no longer be attending work. Her maternal leave annoyed her, but Nick wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. He had been patient and kind, but at eight months, she was coming home and staying home.

Nick strolled through the center aisle that split the room, right up to the podium that commanded the area. Once there, Nick recognized the Chief with a nod.

"Quiet!" the Chief barked.

All attention was then on Nick, who had been planning this since the moment he knew he was going to marry Judy.

"Alright, everyone, as you may know, tomorrow is Judy's 28th birthday."

Most of the officers hooted and cheered at this, but Nick continued.

"You all know her, because she's…well, she takes her job very seriously."

"That's an understatement!"

"Delgato! Be quiet!" the Chief snapped at the lion.

Delgato snickered, but sat down and obeyed.

"Delgato gets it," Nick chuckled. "But anyway, you all know that the party is tomorrow night at our place. I'll be proposing at the end of the night–"

This time, the entire room was filled with hoots and cheers that all showed the officers' approval. Nick couldn't help but smile, and tried to continue over the noise.

"A little bit later, I will assign someone to keep Judy busy tomorrow. I've already spoken to the officers setting up the party at the house tomorrow, so you know what to do. Judy's parents are coming into town and will come here until the party. No matter who is in charge of keeping Judy busy, she is the number one priority, which means all paws on deck. She gets whatever she wants, and no matter what, don't let her see her parents; she'll know something is up if she sees them. Clear?"

The officers nodded in agreement, clearly excited to have a mission that was so laid back and more on the fun side. The Chief dismissed them, leaving Nick to discuss some things with both him and Clawhauser.

"Clawhauser, you're in charge of getting all of Judy's friends who don't work at the ZPD here by tomorrow evening."

"Got it."

"Chief, well…you really don't have to do anything."

"I can do something, Wilde."

"Uh…" Nick hesitated. "Could you keep an eye on Judy?"

"You want me to play babysitter, Wilde?"

"Just keep her busy. I don't care what you do, just be careful, she's seven months pregnant for God's sake. Whatever you do, keep her away from the house and the precinct."

"I'm perfectly capable, Wilde."

The growl in the Chief's voice made Nick put his paws up in defense, but deep down, he knew no one was "perfectly capable" of containing a force of nature like Judy.

Nick hung around at the ZPD a little bit longer to iron out any possible wrinkles with the officers, but at a quarter to noon, he was forced to leave so that he could meet Judy for lunch at their favorite little diner just down the street. When he arrived, he found Judy seated at a booth near one of the front windows. She was staring outside, taking in the view of the busy city as cars and animals went by. Nick couldn't help but stare.

Lately, Judy was almost always in a sundress, since they were easier to wear with her growing abdomen, and no matter how many times she wore a sundress, Nick was always struck by how amazing she looked. Today, she was dressed in a periwinkle blue sundress with straps that joined just behind her neck. She hadn't ordered yet, and in fact, Nick was sure that she hadn't done anything but stare out of the window since she had arrived. At this thought, Nick smiled at how free-spirited Judy truly was.

"Hey, Carrots," he grinned as he walked over to the booth and slid in opposite of her.

She looked up and smiled big.

"Hey. How has your day been?"

"Pretty good, yours?"

"Kinda slow, but still pretty good."

They were briefly interrupted by a lion waiter arriving to take their order.

"The usual, Nick?" the lion asked.

Nick nodded, happy that Judy and he had been such loyal customers to the diner that their order was considered "the usual" for them now. Of course, "the usual" consisted of a Veggie Meal for Judy and a Predator Meal for Nick.

Once the waiter had left, Nick turned back to Judy.

"The Chief wants to see you tomorrow."

"Really?" Judy's eyebrows rose in surprise. "What for?"

"I'm not sure. He just told me he wanted to see you."

"I thought you were with Finnick today, when did you see the Chief?"

Nick cursed himself internally for not smoothing that out better. He had told Judy he was going to see Finnick, which had been true, but he had also promised not to go to the ZPD without her, as it was a day off for both of them and Judy didn't like being left behind.

"He called me," Nick quickly amended.

"Let me see your phone," Judy challenged.

Nick held his breath as he knew this wasn't going to end well.

"My phone is broken…?"

"Is that a question or a statement?"

"Alright, alright, you got me. I went to the ZPD."

"Dang it, Nick!" Judy exclaimed, sounding agitated, but still laughing as if she could live with it. "You promised you would take me if you went."

"But I couldn't take you today."

"Why not?"

"I just had paperwork; you would have been bored."

"You hate paperwork. You're lying and I can't figure out why."

There was the tone that made Nick want to spill his darkest of secrets to her. Her voice was so sweet and comforting that he just wanted to blurt out, "Hey! I know I already proposed, but I planned this amazing birthday party for you where I plan to propose again in front of our friends and family because that's how much I love you!"

Instead, Nick smirked at her lazily and then let out a quiet chuckle.

"You got me. I guess my lying skills haven't been too great since I quit hustling."

"So, what have you been up to?"

"If I told you, it would ruin it."

"Ruin what?"

The waiter saved Nick from answering by arriving with their meals. Judy narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she watched Nick continue to dodge the conversation, but the environment still held a very playful attitude, so she remained patient. It was a few minutes before either spoke again.

"Are you going to tell me what you've been up to?" the bunny questioned.

"You wanna know?"

"Yes."

"I'm cheating on you," Nick shrugged before looking up from his food to see Judy's reaction.

At first, Judy had no reaction; she just seemed to be deep in thought. Then, slowly but surely, a large grin broke out on her face.

"Does that mean what I think it means?" she giggled.

Nick smiled, but evaded again.

"It means whatever you want it to mean, Fluff."

The two finished lunch and then decided to go for a stroll down Main Street, paw in paw. While walking, they laughed and joked about a variety of things. They walked a few blocks before turning around and heading back to their SUV, which Judy had driven to the diner. On their way back to the car, Judy became increasingly tired, so Nick swooped her up into his arms and carried her the rest of the way to the car. Judy giggled the whole way, telling Nick to put her down, but he refused.

The rest of the day went by in a fairly boring fashion, as Nick and Judy drove home and then spent the rest of their time watching movies. They cooked and ate dinner together, and then returned to the couch with popcorn to binge more movies. Halfway into the second movie after dinner, Judy fell asleep, her head resting on Nick's lap. Nick cleaned up quietly and then carried her upstairs to bed. He straightened up a few other things before crawling into bed himself.

In the morning, he was gone long before Judy awoke.

When Judy woke up, she was mildly cranky. The babies had been kicking a lot more lately, causing her more discomfort than pleasure as it began to affect her everyday life. When she woke up, the babies were kicking again, and her back hurt more than usual. Things did not get better when she looked over and found that Nick was missing. She didn't care if he was planning a party or not, she just wanted someone to cuddle with in bed. Judy dragged herself from bed and into the bathroom to get ready for the day. She found her frilly white sundress dangling from a hanger that someone had placed on the towel rack in the bathroom. She assumed it was Nick, and was stood correct when she found a little note clipped to one of the dress straps:

"_Thought you would look nice in this today_. _The Chief is picking you up at 10:00_. _I'll see you later tonight_. _Love you_."

Judy found the note sweet, but still grumbled at the fact that she would be forced to do quite a bit of moving around today. It was almost 9:15 now, so Judy got ready for the day and then made her way down to the kitchen to make coffee. A few minutes before 10:00, a heavy knock came at the door.

"Come in!" Judy called loudly.

The Chief entered the home, looking completely out of place as he made his way down the hall into the kitchen, where he found Judy leaning against a counter, a mug in paw.

"Hopps, I'm here to–"

"To distract me for the day while Nick plans a party, I know."

The Chief froze momentarily, not sure what to do.

"You know?" he eventually asked.

"I've known Nick for years, of course I know," Judy smirked. "Come on, I have some baby shopping to do today."

Judy then promptly sauntered down the hall to the front door.

"You coming?" she asked when she turned and found that the Chief hadn't moved.

Still unsure of the situation, the Chief followed. Outside, Judy looked at the Chief expectantly.

"Well?"

"'Well' what?" the cape buffalo asked, puzzled.

"I can't get in the car by myself," Judy stated with a roll of her eyes.

Chief Bogo, clearly out of his comfort zone, carefully helped the bunny into his police cruiser before going around the front of the car and getting in the driver's side. He hadn't even started the car before Judy was barking orders of where to go.

At the ZPD, Nick was also barking orders as several other ZPD officers helped him move tables and chairs into the trunks of a few different cars. The plan was that the officers assigned to setting up the party would pack all of the supplies into the designated vehicles, drive to Nick and Judy's home, and take everything through the gate to the backyard, where they would begin to set up. It didn't take long for Nick to help the officers load up the supplies and give them directions, so he soon found himself back inside answering any questions or concerns. Since the moment Nick had left his house, things had been moving at a very rapid pace. Before he knew it, all of the couple's friends (with the exception of their coworkers, as well as Judy's family) were at the ZPD, waiting for directions to the house when the time was right. At about 6:30, Nick received a call from Delgato, who was in charge of setting up the party, and received the word that everything was ready. Nick gave directions to the attendees before calling the Chief.

"Chief Bogo here."

"Hey, we're ready, where are you guys?"

The Chief cleared his voice awkwardly.

"Babies 'R' Us."

Nick cracked a smile at the thought of a tiny bunny dragging around a large cape buffalo as she shopped for baby supplies.

"Babies 'R' Us, huh, Chief?" Nick smirked.

"Come get your partner, Wilde," Chief Bogo snapped.

"Right," Nick chuckled. "On my way."

Nick left the ZPD and arrived at the store a few minutes later. When Judy and the Chief exited the store, Nick cracked another smile at the sight; the Chief weighed down by all of Judy's bags and Judy walking in front of him with a pair of sunglasses on and her wallet in paw. Nick jumped out and greeted them, taking the bags from the Chief as he did so, and then helped Judy into their SUV.

"You really went all out, didn't you?" Judy asked once they were on their way back to the house.

"You have no idea," Nick chuckled. "Did you have to torture the Chief like that?"

Judy only smirked in reply, which Nick laughed at.

When they pulled into their driveway, Nick grabbed Judy's arm to prevent her from exiting the car just yet.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I love you," the fox said with a smile.

"I love you too," Judy grinned.

Nick then leaned over and kissed Judy, letting the moment last. When he pulled away, he gave her one last smile before getting out of the car and walking over to the passenger side. He opened the door and held out his paw for Judy to take.

"You ready?"

"You bet I am."


	50. Chapter 50

"Oh, my God."

Those were the three words that Judy said when Nick walked her through their gate to their backyard and she finally saw what awaited her.

"SURPRISE!" the crowd screamed when they saw the couple.

"I brought enough for everyone," Delgato laughed as he stepped forward with two freshly iced beer bottles in his paws.

Nick opened his mouth to reject the beer, but Finnick beat him to it. The tiny fennec fox shuffled over quickly, jumped up and grabbed the two bottles, and then gave the lion a sour look.

"She's pregnant, and he's right in front of his pregnant girlfriend. Rookie mistake," Finnick chastised as he took a swig from one of the bottles before walking away.

Delgato, who had been left in an awkward position, merely shrugged and walked back into the crowd. Nick rolled his eyes and looked over at Judy to see if the situation had upset her, and was presently surprised at what he saw instead.

He had seen Judy smile quite a bit over the last few months, but the smile that dawned on her face in that moment might have been the brightest he had ever seen. The surprise birthday party that Judy had thrown for Nick had been big, but this party topped it easily. When putting everything together, Nick had decided to design the party in the way he dreamed his and Judy's party after their wedding would go. He had hired a professional DJ, had installed specific lights for just the right colors, had invited everyone the couple had ever had contact with, had ordered a designer cake, and much more, all for one night. It took a massive dip out of his savings left over from hustling, but he didn't regret one second of it as soon as he saw Judy's smile.

It was nearly 7:00 and the party had clearly been in full swing before Judy had even arrived, but she didn't mind one bit. She was such a social bunny that she fit in with the crowd easily, greeting those she saw. Nick followed closely behind, doing the same. They soon found themselves in the center of the yard, surrounded by partygoers. Judy turned to face Nick, who leaned down to hear her.

"I can't believe you did all of this for me!" she yelled over the music.

Nick couldn't help but smile at how happy she looked.

"It was nothing!" he yelled back.

"This party makes the one I planned for you look like nothing!" Judy laughed.

"I still loved it!" Nick shrugged with a grin.

Judy looked around at the party before looking back at Nick.

"The neighbors are going to hate us!"

Nick shrugged again.

"Who needs 'em?"

Judy laughed and grabbed his paws in her own, pulling him to dance with her.

The night went by a little too quickly for everyone's liking, but that was only because the night was beyond amazing. The cake was cut a little after 9:00, and Nick and Judy had tried to throw their pieces in each other's faces every chance that became available as the crowd yelled, "Go! Go! Go!" Judy had won the cake war by faking a baby kick enough that Nick came over, concerned, which was when she had shoved a massive amount of cake and frosting in his face. The crowd had yelled in delight, and Nick, who was completely shocked, wiped the cake off and then shoved the messy paw right in Judy's face. The two had laughed themselves to tears. The rest of the night, Nick and Judy danced until Judy was all tuckered out and Nick had to carry her over to one of the tables that sat close to the DJ. After setting her down, Nick checked his phone and saw that it was nearly midnight.

"Smile."

"What?"

"Smile, Carrots."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Judy rolled her eyes, but gave him a gorgeous smile, which he quickly snapped a picture of with the camera on his phone.

"Why the picture?" Judy asked once he had lowered his phone.

"My new homescreen. Last one I had was from Christmas."

"The one of me stuck in the snow?"

"That's the one."

"Aw, but that one was really cute," Judy pouted.

"Relax, Carrots, I still have it, and besides, this one is way cuter."

Nick showed Judy his phone, the photo now set as his background. Judy giggled at the photo of her smiling in a silly way with bits of cake and frosting still on her face.

"That's not cute at all!"

"I'll change it in a few months," Nick laughed. "When you're lying in a hospital bed holding our four babies."

Judy tilted her head and gave him an "aw, how sweet" look. Nick grinned at her before glancing at his phone to check the time again.

"I'll be right back," he said as he gave her another smile along with a quick kiss on the lips.

Nick stepped up onto the makeshift stage the professional DJ was set up on and thanked the DJ as he handed him a microphone. The music quieted down and all attention was on Nick once again. The balloon in his chest fluttered with anxiety at the sudden attention, but this was what he wanted, right?

"Uh, hello, everyone. I hope everybody is enjoying the party so far. I would like to start off by thanking all of you for coming tonight, and to especially thank those who helped me pull this off. I, uh…well," Nick paused for a moment, not really sure where to begin out of all of the things he wanted to say next.

The silent audience watched with anticipation as the fox ran a paw over one of his ears, smoothing it back momentarily.

"Well, I have known Judy for over three years now. I, uh, met her while I was hustling pawpsicles, ha. She was a meter maid at the time and was upset that I had hustled her," Nick paused to chuckle along with the crowd. "She then hustled _me_ into helping her with a case – uhm, the Night Howlers case, in fact. I didn't want to help her, but somewhere along the way, I–well, I couldn't help but care. I was very intrigued with this little bunny's ambition to solve this case. I mean, she was willing to do anything to find this otter, and even when she was at her busiest, she managed to convince me to join the police force, of all things. Without Judy, who knows where I would be now. I surely wouldn't have this many friends, I wouldn't be this happy, and I definitely wouldn't be seeing my mother this often."

The crowd laughed again, and Nick caught his mother rolling her eyes.

"I, uh, I also wouldn't be with my, uhm, my life mate if Judy and I hadn't crossed paths all that time ago."

Nick looked at Judy, who smiled, tears clearly in her eyes.

"I knew things were perfect when Judy and I first starting dating, because, well, nothing really felt different; nothing felt forced or awkward, it was just us being us on a new level. About seven months ago, on the night of my birthday party, which many of you attended, Judy told me she was pregnant…and, uh, I won't lie, I was pretty freaked out. I mean, you all saw me that night."

Some audience members hooted and cheered in reply, while others laughed.

"But I was genuinely happy, because once again, Judy was giving me something that I probably would never have had if I hadn't met her."

Nick paused once again, his heart fluttering in his chest as he prepared for the big moment.

"A few months after I met Judy, I went out and bought…well, I, uh, bought a wedding ring."

Nick removed the wedding ring in question from his shirt pocket and held it up for everyone to see. He had told Judy that he would hide it somewhere different before secretly proposing to her in their kitchen a month ago, but he couldn't bring himself to part with it after it being with him for so long. Thankfully, Judy hadn't gone looking for it.

At the sight of the ring, the audience cheered happily, and Judy covered her mouth with her paws.

"I never knew if I would use it," Nick continued. "Because we weren't even dating at the time, but ever since that day, something inside of me has just _known_ that I would be giving it to her. In about two months, I will have officially been dating Judy for two years. I was going to propose on the night of our anniversary, but something told me that that wasn't right. I knew that if I was going to propose to a girl like Judy, I–uh, well, I was going to have to make a big deal out of it, because she deserves nothing less. To be honest, I proposed to Judy in our kitchen about a month ago, because the ring fell out of my pocket, really."

The crowd laughed once again and Nick saw his mother throw her paws up in defeat, as if to say, "I thought I raised him right." Nick let out a small laugh and nodded to confirm the fact that he had let the ring fall from his pocket.

"So, technically, I know what Judy's answer is, but I just couldn't wait to propose, and I wouldn't have thrown this party if I thought she was anything less than perfect. Judy has given me so much in these last few years, and a lifetime is not enough time to thank her for all of it, but it's a good place to start…" Nick said as he bent down on one knee and looked directly at Judy. "So, Carrots, will you marry me?"

It was as if everyone in the crowd was holding their breath as Judy made her way up to Nick on stage.

"Now or never," Nick whispered with a chuckle.

Judy returned his smile before leaning down and grabbing the carrot pen (which she had given him years ago) from his shirt pocket.

"Always the theatrics, Nick, but I'll be honest, I'm marrying you because I like to be a little dramatic now and then too," she whispered, leaving Nick slightly puzzled.

She then brought the pen to her mouth as she pressed the "record" button.

"Yes."

The entire crowd cheered at the very clear word, surely waking the entire city as they did so.

"You already knew my answer," Judy giggled as Nick leaned in and kissed her.

Nick finally gave her the ring before sweeping her up into a hug. Judy was crying and laughing, not wanting to be anywhere else as she held on to Nick tightly. Nick looked down at her and felt that balloon in his chest inflate in a pleasant way, knowing that all of the time he had waited to propose had been worth it. He didn't care that he had bought the ring too early, that he had waited too long to drop to one knee, that he had almost ruined everything by letting the ring slip into Judy's sight weeks before the actual event, because now the world felt absolutely perfect to him.

Nick had never been one to cry often, but he cried now.


	51. Chapter 51

"Who's ready for their last day of work?"

"Shut up."

"Good morning, Sunshine. May I just say you look absolutely stunning this fine morning?"

The last comment ended with Nick finding himself on the receiving end of a hard punch.

"It's not going to be _that_ bad," Nick chuckled as he rubbed his now sore shoulder.

The two were in the kitchen, waiting for the coffee maker to finish brewing their morning batch. Nick had awoken that morning to find Judy in a very negative mood, but he didn't let it faze him; it was her last day of work, of course she was going to be in a bad mood.

He had gone about his usual morning routine, trying not to get in her way, and had even started the coffee maker for her. Until she had met him in the kitchen, Judy hadn't said a word to him. Judy rolled her eyes before letting out an agitated sigh.

"This just–it just…_sucks_! My feet and back hurt like _all _the time now, and I can't even enjoy the distraction of work since I can't do anything there but sit in an office chair, and I don't even have _that_ after today! I am just–just _so _frustrated!"

Judy balled her paws into fists and shook them in the air, making Nick recoil slightly, a smirk clearly etched on his face.

"Okay, okay, I hear you," Nick stated calmly as he dodged around her fists and placed his paws on her upper arms to calm her down. "But this is just part of it, Carrots. I'm sorry, I really am, but there isn't much I can do–"

"_Useless_!"

Judy shrugged Nick off quickly before turning on him. The rabbit moved so fast that she left Nick dazed and confused.

"Huh?"

"You're useless!" the bunny exclaimed.

"What–no I'm not," Nick chuckled quietly.

"You don't do a thing to help!"

Nick placed his paws on his hips and raised his eyebrows.

"I think the hours I have spent rubbing your feet would disagree."

"This," Judy said, gesturing toward her large abdomen. "This is all your fault!"

"Whoa," Nick laughed. "Back it up there, Fluff, it's whose fault?"

"Yours!"

"Care to explain?"

"You did this to me!" Judy yelled as she struggled to hold her flailing fists down at her sides.

"You blame me for your pregnancy?" Nick smirked, which didn't improve Judy's mood at all.

"You're the one who got me pregnant!"

"It's kind of a two-animal job–"

"Do _not _make me explain why I'm right and you're wrong!"

"Please, I would love an explanation. Maybe a visual representation too, you know? Like a chart or a diagram, maybe a poster? Oooh, a slideshow would be more professional, though."

"_Nick_!"

"I'm kidding, take it down five notches, Carrots."

Judy stopped and fixed Nick with a ferocious stare. Nick replied with a puzzled expression.

"What did you just say to me?" Judy hissed.

"I told you to calm down," Nick shrugged. "I was just kidding."

"_Unbelievable_!"

"What–?"

"_Do not tell me to calm down_!"

"How about we talk about some cutesy stuff, huh? Like how we're getting married, or how we're having kids in about a month."

"I'll talk about that stuff when I'm not completely pissed off!"

"Fair enough. Should we just stand in awkward silence then? I am quite the fan of it, to be honest."

"Give me the car keys."

Nick complied immediately, taking the car keys out of his pocket and tossing them to Judy without a word. Slightly surprised he hadn't argued or made a snide comment, Judy caught the keys and glared at him for a few seconds before sighing angrily again. She then left the house without so much as another sigh. From his view through one of the kitchen windows, Nick watched her struggle into the SUV, start the car, and then leave for work. With a shake of his head, Nick let out a soft chuckle, returned to the coffee pot to pour himself a fresh cup, and pulled out his cell phone. He selected the desired contact and placed the phone to his ear, listening to the dial tone patiently until a cheery voice came over the line.

"Hey, Clawhauser, can you do me a favor? … Can you pull up the traffic cameras on Main Street? … Got 'em? … Okay, cool, do you see my SUV? … Great. Do you still have access to the traffic lights? … Alright, go ahead and turn them all red … Yeah, and leave them red … For like the next ten minutes … Just trust me on this one … Yeah, I'll explain when I get to work … Yeah, she's in the car … No, I know she's going to kill me, that's why you're not going to tell her … I will handle it–look, can you do it? … Awesome, thanks Big Guy, see you soon."

Nick ended the call and slid his phone back into his pocket with a smirk.

"Two can play this game, Carrots."

Smirk still present, Nick turned off the coffee maker, rinsed out his mug, and left the house, locking the front door behind him. He then strolled down the sidewalk of their street until he exited the neighborhood out onto Main Street. The sight that met his eyes brought an evil grin to his face. What could have been the biggest traffic jam in history filled Main Street as every single traffic light remained a monotonous red. Taking his time, Nick weaved between cars as he made his way directly down the center of the street, looking for his SUV as if it was a normal action. He spotted it after a few minutes of looking and walked right up to the driver's side. Seeing that the door wasn't locked, Nick opened it, making Judy, who had been heavily laying on the car horn, jump in surprise.

"Nick!"

"Morning, Beautiful. Scoot over for me?"

Still dumfounded by his sudden arrival, Judy slid over into the passenger's seat, letting Nick take control of the car. Not touching the wheel or the gears just yet, Nick took his phone out of his pocket and dialed Clawhauser once more.

"Alright, Big Guy, you can fix the lights … Yeah, I'm good … Thanks."

Ignoring Judy (who he knew was fuming with rage), Nick put his phone away, waited until traffic resumed, and then flicked on the SUV's police lights. The still partially jammed traffic diverged for the car, giving Nick room to cruise the vehicle down the center of the street. Nick then dared a glance in Judy's direction, which he instantly regretted. Their eyes met briefly before Judy started yelling again.

"_Are you kidding me_?"

"Something wrong?" Nick chuckled.

Judy threw her arms into the air in frustration.

"You just abused so much power, Nick!"

"Yeah, but it was super fun."

"I can't believe you did that!"

"Are you done being angry, Rabbit? Or are we going to continue this all day?"

"Continue what all day?"

"I don't know what you want to call it, but if you continue to mess with me, I'm going to continue to mess with you."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, just a fun way to cheer you up."

Judy let out a "huh" of thought as she considered what Nick had said.

"You're on, Wilde."

The car pulled into the parking lot of the ZPD, where Nick parked and then helped Judy out of her seat. The two walked into the building, passed Clawhauser, but not without Nick winking at him first, and then journeyed through the ZPD offices to their cubicles. Before either one sat, Judy turned to Nick with a pout on her face.

"Nick, I left my notebook in the car. Could you go grab it for me?"

"Sure thing."

Nick turned and made his way back out to the car, whistling as he did so. Once out in the sunshine of the day, he opened the passenger door and glanced around, not finding Judy's notebook. He then checked the glove compartment, the center console, and the pocket in the door, but still found nothing. Just as he was looking under the seats, a horrible thought entered his head.

"She doesn't even have a freaking notebook," Nick muttered angrily as he slammed the car door shut and raced back into the lobby.

"Nick? Everything okay?"

"Not now, Clawhauser! Judy's pranking me so hard right now!"

Slamming through the glass door that led to the offices and surprising those nearest, Nick ran all the way back to his cubicle.

"What did you do?" he gasped as soon as he arrived to find Judy in her own cubicle.

"What are you talking about?" she answered in a sickly-sweet voice.

"Don't play dumb, Cottontail, I know you don't have a notebook."

An evil grin dawned on Judy's face as she let out a dry laugh.

"I can't believe you fell for that."

"What did you do?"

"I guess you'll just have to figure it out."

Nick groaned, still wheezing from running so hard. He trudged into his cubicle, a suspicious eye still watching Judy, and sat down in his swivel chair. The chair collapsed underneath him with a large bang as his weight fell upon it. From his place on the carpeted floor, Nick looked over at a snickering Judy.

"Oh, it's on now, Carrots."

Judy replied by lightly tossing a small screwdriver over, which landed on Nick's chest. Nick narrowed his eyes at her before she shrugged.

"It was already on."


	52. Chapter 52

"Oh my God, they just released the new edition of Carrot Weekly online just now!"

"No way! It doesn't come out for another two weeks!"

"It's early then. Come look, Carrots."

Judy struggled to remove herself from her swivel chair, while Nick watched without a word. Once she was on her feet, and somewhat balanced, she waddled over to Nick's cubicle. Her face went from immensely pleased to immensely furious as Nick's computer screen came into view.

"That's a selfie of you!"

"Made you look."

"That's not funny!"

"It's pretty funny."

Judy punched Nick roughly before waddling back to her own desk, grumbling as she did so.

"That's not even a prank, Nick," the rabbit huffed. "Bullying your pregnant fiancé doesn't count."

"Oh, it definitely qualifies."

"How so?" Judy asked indignantly.

"It annoyed you, didn't it?"

At Nick's smirk, Judy let out a loud angry snort before heaving herself back into her chair. Seated again, she then chose to glare at Nick in the moments following, who simply stared back with a lazy expression.

It was only mid-morning, meaning that there was still plenty of time for the two of them to wreak havoc on one another. Unfortunately, that would have to wait for the time being.

"Hopps! Wilde!"

The Chief's booming voice coming down the aisle of the office cubicles was loud enough to break the eye contact between Judy and Nick as they looked up in surprise.

"Yes, Chief?" Judy asked once the cape buffalo came into view.

The Chief responded by throwing a thick tan case file onto the bunny's desk before promptly heading back to his office, but not before he gave Nick a knowing wink that Judy didn't see. Once the couple was left in silence, they merely stared at each other for a single second. The peace was disrupted when Nick bolted from his swivel chair to read the file, acting as if the case was the best they had ever had. Judy attempted to get out of her chair to reach the file first, but was much slower, resulting in Nick snatching up the paperwork first.

"_Ugh_, give it, Nick!"

"No way. You always get to read the cases first."

"You childish, sneaky, conniving…" Judy muttered as she was finally able to get up from her seat for the second time in the last five minutes.

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

Nick looked up at her briefly to give her an exaggerated look of annoyance before grudgingly handing her the file.

"Weaselton is up to his old tricks again, this time in Sahara Square."

"He stole from a bank? That doesn't sound like Weaselton at all."

"I think that provides an even better reason to go find him."

"I'm right behind you."

Grabbing their things, the couple left the ZPD and headed for Sahara Square. On the way, the two went over the basics of the case, such as where the weasel was last seen, how much money he had stolen from the bank, and possible leads.

"This is it," Nick stated as he brought the SUV to a park along the side of the street.

"The corner he was last seen on?"

"Yep. He was seen doing his usual black-market sales."

"Let's look around."

"No, no, no, no, no," Nick shook his head. "No can do. You aren't going anywhere like this–"

"Oh, save me the lecture and come on," Judy scoffed as she carefully slid from the passenger's seat onto the sidewalk below.

Slightly concerned, as well as amused, Nick followed. Just as he was walking around the front of the car to join Judy, he heard a soft gasp. His ears shot up immediately.

"Carrots?"

"Nick."

As she said his name, Nick came around to find her leaning on the car, worry etched across her face.

"Carrots!"

He moved quickly, coming up beside her and placing his paws accordingly to hold her up.

"What? What's going on?" he asked, worried.

"I think my water just broke."

"_What_?"

"Look!"

Nick did in fact look, only to feel horror creep into his chest at the sight of Judy's wet pants.

"Okay, okay," he breathed unevenly, trying to think of what to do first while his mind reeled. "We have to go to the hospital."

"Get my bag first."

"Why?"

"Just get it!"

Jumping at her raised voice, Nick quickly moved to open the back-right door of the car. He looked around frantically before his eyes came upon Judy's black police backpack.

"I've got it. Here," he breathed as he scooped the bag up and delivered it to Judy.

She unzipped the bag and began digging through the contents as Nick began to talk nervously.

"This can't be happening, right? I mean, you're only eight months pregnant! The babies are too early. Something could be wrong. We have to get you to the hospital immediately–what on Earth are you doing?"

Judy was shrugging out of her wet pants, only to reveal a second pair of pants underneath that were completely dry. Nick watched, completely dumfounded, as Judy slid the first pair of pants over her feet and then tossed them into her open backpack.

"Carrots?"

"You should have seen the look on your face," she chuckled as she zipped the backpack and threw it at Nick, who almost didn't catch it, even after it slammed into the middle of his chest.

"What–?"

"A little bit of water, two pairs of nylon pants, a worried expression, and a very gullible fox are all you need to fake labor."

"Are you serious, Carrots?" Nick asked with an incredulous look. "_Are you serious_? You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I know! It was hilarious!"

"It most certainly wasn't!"

"Oh, lighten up. It was funny and you know it."

_BANG!_

Judy and Nick jumped as a trash can fell over in a nearby alley. Following the noise came a scurry of feet moving quickly away. Judy's eyes met Nick's suddenly.

"Weaselton. Go!"

At her words, Nick took off for the alley, sliding easily into the entrance as he turned into the dark space. He withdrew his tranquilizer gun as he ran, remaining vigilant as he did so. He heard Judy following much further behind as she went at her own pace, staying far away from any danger. Now well into the depths of the maze of alleys that wound between buildings, Nick stopped at a corner. Moments later, Judy caught up with him.

"See him?" she asked.

"I think he went this way, but I can't be sure."

"I'm going."

"Carrots, no."

"It's my last day. Let me have a little fun."

"This isn't fun, this is dangerous. I'm not letting you go."

"You'll be right here the entire time, and I have my tranq gun. Everything will be fine, I promise."

Nick's ear flattened against his head as he stared into the bunny's eyes. After a few seconds of the pleading look burrowing into his soul, he sighed.

"Fine, but be careful, please."

"Got it," Judy grinned, excited for something new to do. "I'm going in."

She gave Nick a swift kiss on the cheek before she carefully crept around the corner, tranquilizer gun cocked and ready. Making sure she was far enough around the corner, Nick pulled his phone out and pulled up Weaselton's contact. It sure was nice to have other con friends, even if you weren't one anymore. Peering around the corner to ensure Judy wouldn't see, Nick typed out a message to the weasel.

"She's coming around the corner, u ready?"

Somewhat paranoid, Nick sent the message and then looked around the corner again, keeping an eye on Judy, who was nearing another turn in the alleyway. The fox couldn't help but grin at the elaborate prank he, the Chief, and the weasel had devised earlier in the day after Judy had sabotaged his chair. It hadn't taken long to achieve, only a bit of convincing, but he had pulled it off. The plan involved Weaselton hiding in the alley and giving Judy a bit of a fright. Not enough of a fright to send her into early labor, but enough to make her jump. She might even fire her tranquilizer gun at the weasel, but it would be useless, as Nick had filled it with blanks before they had left. Plus, after the stunt she had pulled with a water bottle earlier, Nick was more than ready for payback. He felt his phone buzz in his paw as a reply arrived.

"Running late. Not there yet."

Nick lowered his phone, the balloon in his chest rising.

"_If Weaselton isn't here_... _then who is_?"

"Carrots!"

Nick jumped around the corner to grab a defenseless Judy and pull her back, only to be completely stunned by the fact that she was gone. The alley was empty with an eerie silence.

"Carrots!"

He began walking swiftly, not really paying attention to his surroundings and definitely not caring whether or not there was another animal after him.

"Carrots?"

There was no reply as the ghostly silence remained. Nick continued to move forward, his paws shaking as he struggled to keep a grip on his tranquilizer gun and remove his communicator from his belt. Several horrible thoughts whirled through his mind, the majority focused on one subject in particular.

_"Carrots, back off now! He isn't worth it!" _

Nick could hear his heart thumping harder and harder as the seconds ticked by. Shaking harder now, he bent down as he brought his communicator up to his lips and held down one of the buttons on the side.

"Carrots, answer me, please. Judy," he breathed before releasing the button to wait for a reply.

The communicator crackled with some static, but there was nothing else.

_"Officer down! Hopps is down! Need back up and medical attention at my location now!"_

The balloon in Nick's chest had expanded to the point that it disrupted his breathing, which was now shallow and rapid. The balloon was so full of tension that it was beginning to physically hurt his chest.

"Oh, please, please, please answer," Nick whispered.

He closed his eyes momentarily to pull himself together, but that only brought on more flashbacks.

_"Alright, help is here. You hang in there, Rabbit."_

The images of a weak Judy caked in her own blood as it poured freely from the gaping wound in her neck filled Nick's brain.

_"It's okay, Carrots. It's going to be okay. I've got you."_

Then, the weeks that followed her incident filled his thoughts as images of Judy in the hospital, the two of them fighting, her confessing her love for him, him asking her to be his girlfriend, her saying yes, and their first kiss flooded his vision. Nick opened his eyes and quickly held the communicator to his mouth again, ready to plead, but then thought better of it and snapped it back to his belt. He then took off into a full sprint, sliding around the next corner that came up at full speed. After running the full length of one alley, Nick dove to turn again when he collided into a slowly moving Judy. The two both yelped out in surprise as they fell to the ground in each other's arms.

"Judy! Oh, thank God!" Nick gasped as he helped Judy sit up.

She said something, but Nick didn't catch it, as he was too busy smothering her in kisses and hugs to show just how thankful he was to see her unharmed.

"Nick," Judy huffed as she attempted to tug him off of her briefly. "I'm having contractions, Nick."

Nick didn't hear her again, still too bothered with trailing kisses over her shoulders, jaw line, and neck.

"I was so worried," he whispered against her skin.

Judy shivered at his touch, enjoying every moment of it, but she tried to stop him once more as the severity of the situation pressed down on her again.

"Nick. Nick, stop it. I'm having–_ugh_!"

Another pain shot across Judy's abdomen, making her wince and lean heavily against Nick, who caught her as she moved forward. Instantly worried, Nick was now paying attention to the situation and realizing that something was very wrong.

"Judy, hey, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Nick used his paws to look over Judy for injuries, but she stopped his paws with her own. He looked into her eyes and saw a great fear present in them.

"I think I'm having contractions."

"Very funny, Rabbit, but I'm not falling for that again."

"No, I'm serious this time."

"Honestly, how stupid do you think I am?" Nick chuckled.

"_Nick_!"

Nick's chest felt like it was collapsing, as if someone had taken a sledgehammer to it.

"You're going into labor?"

"No, something isn't right. This isn't right," Judy murmured.

Nick tried to help Judy stand, but she couldn't stay on her feet without him heavily supporting her.

"What do you mean?"

"Something doesn't feel right," Judy gasped as she leaned against him more. "I shouldn't be having contractions, and I had a pain like this a few months ago–"

"Wait, what? How long have you been having these pains?"

"Ever since the baby shower."

"Carrots, that was almost four months ago!"

"I know, I know, but they haven't been this bad until today."

"Okay, okay," Nick breathed as he looked around frantically. "We've got to get you to a hospital."


	53. Chapter 53

"You're kidding!"

"I'm not, Mrs. Wilde."

"Nicholas must have had a heart attack."

"He definitely did, especially with him having set up that entire prank. He basically blamed himself for sending me into labor."

"But it wasn't labor?"

"Nope, Braxton Hicks, false contractions. They are completely normal, especially as I get closer to my due date."

"And how did Nicholas react when he learned they were false contractions?"

"While I was breathing a sigh of relief, he actually passed out. I had to drive him home."

Mrs. Wilde snorted with laughter as Judy giggled along with her. It was early afternoon, and the two were seated at the kitchen island in Mrs. Wilde's home, where they had been for the last two hours as Judy told Nick's mother every detail of her last day of work.

It had been a week since Judy's last day, and she had spent half of that day in the hospital, so she wasn't exactly thrilled to be stuck at home as Nick's work schedule remained unchanged. She would follow Nick around in the mornings as he got ready for the day, begging him to take her with him for just one hour.

"It's not happening, Carrots," he would always say.

"Why not?" Judy would whine.

Nick would then roll his eyes, and lean in and kiss Judy's pouting mouth before saying goodbye for the day. One day, he had even made a deal with her.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. You can come with me."

"This is great!"

"Eh, not so fast. You can come with me _if _you can walk up the stairs without waddling."

"But that's impossible–"

"Then you can't come."

Nick had then stood at the bottom of the steps with a large smirk on his face as he watched Judy attempt to walk up the stairs without turning her feet outward to accustom her new weight.

"That's still waddling."

"It is not!" Judy had yelled indignantly. "Everyone walks like this."

"Sure."

Nick had then taken the two strides required to reach Judy's location (which was barely halfway up the stairs after ten minutes) and kissed her before heading out for work as to not be late. The next day, Judy had blocked Nick's path to the door, her eyes fiery.

"I am going to work with you today."

"Tell you what, if you can sit and stand up from a chair without my help, then you can come to work with me."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Those are the terms. Take 'em or leave 'em."

Nick had then watched Judy nearly tip a chair over as she fell into it, and then watched her nearly break her back trying to get up without his help.

"Okay, okay. Stop before you hurt yourself."

"I can do it!"

"Carrots, you can barely walk or sit. You won't be comfortable in an office at work."

"But–"

"You have to pee like every five seconds, Rabbit! You can't even get up to do _that_."

"Fine, I guess you're right," Judy had sighed.

Nick had then helped her up, kissed her goodbye, and Judy no longer begged him in the morning. She hadn't left the house until Nick had announced that he was taking her to his mother's house one day.

"To be honest, the whole ordeal was pretty funny," Judy told Mrs. Wilde. "I just felt bad for the nurses and doctor who had to deal with a scared, pregnant rabbit and a fox who couldn't calm down and take a breath."

"Yes, but that's their job, Honey. They get paid a lot of cash to help you through all of the ups and downs, the happy moments and the scary moments, so it's completely fine to go into the doctor's for apparently no reason if you feel you should."

"I guess that's true."

"So, Nicholas was a bit secretive when dropping you off this morning, any idea why? He wouldn't tell me, and I'm his mother."

"He's attempting to plan a big night for our two-year anniversary," Judy grinned. "He dumped me on your doorstep to keep me from snooping more than I already have."

"That's sweet of him. In all my years of knowing Nicholas, I have never seen him step up as much as I have seen him step up now. Something about you, Judy, makes him different… but a good kind of different."

"Thank you, Mrs. Wilde, but to me, he's the same old Nick that hustled me to buy him and Finnick a Jumbo Pop all that time ago, and I'm glad he's the same, because that's the Nick I fell in love with."

"Carrots, I'm flattered."

Both Judy and Mrs. Wilde jumped at Nick's voice. He was leaning against the doorframe in the entrance of the kitchen, paws in his pockets, and a smirk on his face.

"Nick, you scared me!" Judy laughed as the fox came over and wrapped his arms around her for a hug.

"Sorry, Darling, but I came to pick you up."

Bidding farewell to Mrs. Wilde, the couple left Nick's mother's home and headed out onto Main Street.

"Where are we going?" Judy asked as she watched passing cars.

"I thought you would like to say 'hi' to a couple of friends at work."

"Really?"

"I know you've missed work, so I thought it was only fair that you at least visit from time to time."

Nick pulled the SUV into the parking lot of the ZPD and walked Judy into the lobby, where she took half an hour to catch up with everyone, even though it hadn't been long since she had last seen them. She spoke to Clawhauser the longest, who had been missing her dearly. After she had finished, Judy followed Nick back to the car.

"Now, I wanna do dinner at our place tonight, but I'd like to grab a bite to eat at the diner," Nick stated as he put the SUV into reverse.

"Sounds good to me," Judy smiled.

A few moments later, they pulled into a parking space in front of the diner. They were seated at a booth near the front windows again before they were welcomed by a friendly waiter, who knew their orders by heart, of course. Once left alone, Nick turned to Judy. She was dressed in black leggings and an oversized logo t-shirt that had actually been his at one time.

"Have I ever told you that you're beautiful?"

"Nick, I don't know what to say," Judy smiled, a slight blush tinting the color in her cheeks.

Looking away slightly, she let a grin flash across her facial features as she attempted to compliment him back.

"You are just–"

Judy stopped suddenly. When she had looked away, her attention had partially focused on two deer sitting at a nearby table. It had taken her a second, but Judy realized that the two were whispering and glancing at her and Nick every now and then. The entire feeling of the situation put Judy on edge, which Nick noticed immediately.

"Hey, Carrots, you okay?"

Judy looked away and forced a smile on her face once more.

"Yes! I'm fine, sorry, got distracted. What was I saying? Oh, well you are just too sweet to me. I don't deserve all of this."

Nick gave Judy a suspicious glance, but said nothing of it, only continued the previously pleasant conversation.

"You deserve a lot more. You do so much for me, and I rarely tell you how grateful I am– Carrots?"

"Huh?"

"You keep dazing off. What are you looking at?"

"Nothing!" Judy quickly covered as she once again tore her attention from the two deer who were now paying their check and standing to leave.

Nick saw the two deer, now getting ready to walk past the booth they were occupying and smiled pleasantly at them before turning back to Judy. Judy saw the disgusted reaction both of the deer had and almost said something, her ambition getting the best of her, but what the deer said next stopped her cold in her tracks. Whispering to one another, just loud enough to be heard as they passed Judy and Nick's booth, Judy caught bits of the conversation.

"…prey and predator. How distasteful…"

"…worse that it's interspecies…"

"…no respect at all…"

"…having children and probably married…"

"…what an abomination…"

Judy looked down at her swollen abdomen, her feelings mixing together as her thoughts whirled around in a dizzying cycle. Nick's voice seemed to come from a faraway place.

"Carrots?"

Judy didn't answer, but looked up slightly to now direct her gaze at the edge of the table. Hot tears stung her eyes and began to run down her cheeks, the paths burning her already flushed face. She tried to tell herself that she was imagining things, that she didn't just hear what she thought she had just heard, but the facts were there, so she instead tried to remind herself that she was just emotional and probably overreacting. Nick's voice was there again, his tone low and slightly concerned.

"Judy."

Had she heard them correctly? She had never heard something so unsettling in her entire life. Should she do something? Judy suddenly felt an arm slink around her waist as her body naturally leaned against Nick's, her face hidden in his shoulder. She heard Nick's voice in her ear, his breath hot against the base of her skull.

"Come on, Carrots."

She felt Nick pull her up onto her feet and lead her from the restaurant, letting the hostess, Dawn, know to cancel their order as they passed through the doors. Nick guided Judy to their SUV, where he lifted her up into the passenger seat and slid in next to her, shutting the car door behind him. He then wrapped his arms around Judy once more and let her cry. Nick said nothing as he thought over what had just taken place. He had, in fact, heard the two deer, and had even moved to stand up and confront them, but that's when Judy had started crying. He had then made the split decision that she was more important in that moment. Nick knew that if Judy wasn't so far along in her pregnancy, she probably would have stood and caused an entire scene in the diner due to the nature of her personality, but it was clear that things were starting to get to her. She was always tired and emotional and scared now that her pregnancy was coming to an end; something was bound to make her snap at one point, but Nick had wished that it had been anything rather than what had just taken place.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm right here," Nick murmured as he ran a paw over her back.

Judy let out a loud sob into his shoulder and gripped him tighter. Nick rested his head over hers and felt a pain in his heart for this little bunny. She deserved the world on a silver platter, not this amount of stress and tears.

"I don't care what anyone else says, Rabbit. I love you, and that's all that matters."

Almost an hour later, Judy pulled herself together enough to let go of Nick so that he could drive them home. Once home, Judy went and collapsed down on their bed without a word, while Nick went out again to get her some chocolate from a nearby convenience store. That night, the two didn't end up having a fancy dinner to celebrate their two long years together, but rather stayed in bed, eating chocolate and various things they found in the kitchen as they talked about a variety of topics. It wasn't the perfect evening that Nick had planned for, but it was wonderful for them just the same.

"Hey, Carrots."

"Yeah?"

"Kids cost a lot of _bucks_, you know?"

"That's the worse pun I've ever heard," Judy laughed, the first time since that afternoon.

Nick smiled at the sound.

"You know you love–"

"Don't even say it," Judy laughed again, while Nick faked a pout and smiled lazily.

"Why not?"

"Because I love you," she grinned. "And that's all that matters."


	54. Chapter 54

"No."

"Please, Nick!"

"No, Carrots."

"I'm going."

"You're not going."

"You can't stop me."

"I beg to differ. You aren't going."

"Why not?"

"You don't need to go."

"Yes, I do! I have to fill out some paperwork."

"I'll fill it out myself."

"You aren't allowed to do that!"

"You aren't going to work, Carrots."

"I promise I won't be there long; a few hours at most, and I'll stay in my office the entire time."

"I don't feel comfortable with this."

"Ugh, why not?"

"You're nine months pregnant!"

Judy, now just a few days over forty weeks into her pregnancy, placed her paws on the small of her back and furrowed her brows as she glared at Nick. It was a warm Sunday evening and the two were in the babies' room, where everything was almost complete. The couple had found an old radio at a nearby garage sale and had set it up in the room to listen to music whenever they worked there. Now, the radio blasted a mix of pop songs and smooth jazz. Nick was nearly done with assembling the crib, while Judy had just finished packing the bag they would take to the hospital once she went into labor. Judy had been begging all weekend to accompany Nick to work on Monday morning so that she could ensure that everything was done and ready for her when she officially returned a few weeks after the babies' arrival. Nick, however, was very much opposed to the idea, mainly because Judy's due date was that upcoming Thursday, and he didn't like her overexerting herself if she didn't have to. They were in the final stretch; the tension was thick, and the anxiety was high.

"Carrots, I just don't like this. I get this feeling."

"Feeling?" Judy smirked with raised eyebrows.

"That's not what I–ugh," Nick fumbled. 'I _meant _that I've been getting this feeling when something is about to happen. It's like a pressure in my chest."

"Nick, those are just nerves."

"But they aren't! I got this feeling when the babies kicked and on the night I proposed."

"Then it's excitement."

"Carrots, would you stop folding clothes and listen to me?"

Besides the low clatter of ads playing in between songs over the radio, silence filled the room. Nick's temper was growing short, a rare occasion. Judy turned and looked at him, waiting patiently for him to continue. Nick took a deep breath and attempted to relax before continuing.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell."

"It's okay, Nick, I get it. I wasn't listening, but I am now. Go ahead."

"I'm not trying to hold you back," Nick sighed. "It's just that–well, I had this feeling when those great things happened, but I also had this feeling right before you started having Braxton Hicks in that alley, before you started bleeding in the hospital, and before you went into that warehouse with the polar bears. I know I sound crazy, but the babies are going to be here soon, and I don't want to take any risks–"

Nick stopped as Judy stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him as best she could with her large abdomen.

"I get it. You don't have to explain it to me, Nick."

Nick smiled and returned the hug.

"So, you won't go to work?"

"No, I'm still going."

Nick dropped his paws and let out an exasperated, yet amused, sigh.

"Carrots."

"Hey, I know you have your reasons for not wanting me to go, but I have my reasons for going. I don't want to go into labor at home all alone. I'll panic! I'm sticking with you."

Nick sighed again and kissed the top of Judy's head before taking her left paw into his right, where he briefly brushed over her engagement ring there.

"Fine," he caved. "You can come, but you have to promise me you won't do anything but sit in your office."

"Can I go steal donuts from Clawhauser?"

"Are you kidding me? That is _way _too dangerous!"

Judy giggled. A slower song entirely done in piano came over the radio and filled the room. Nick slid his paws into Judy's and carefully lifted her onto his feet before sliding his paws around her so that he could safely dance around with her. Judy's abdomen kept a distance between the two, but they managed just the same as they danced to the entire song with smiles present on their faces. When the song was over, Nick looked at the still unfinished crib and sighed.

"I'm done messing with that thing."

"Wanna go make s'mores in the microwave?"

"Damn right I do."

Laughing, the two made their way downstairs, where they made a mess in the kitchen before heading up to bed. In the morning, Nick awoke to find Judy already dressed for the day.

"Get up!" she laughed as she tossed a fluffed pillow at him.

Nick groaned and tossed the pillow back at her.

"Go away," he mumbled into the mattress.

"Come on, Sleepy Head, it's time to get ready for work–_ugh_!"

Nick popped his head up as Judy let out a small gasp.

"Carrots?"

"I'm fine."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong."

Nick pushed himself up from the bed and slid over the side to land on the carpeted floor near Judy.

"What is it?" he asked as he swept a glance over her.

"Nothing. I'm fine. I just have some pain in my back."

"You're staying home."

"No! I want to go, Nick."

"Your back hurts, which means you're staying home."

"I'm going whether you like it or not. Do not argue with me, I am pregnant, and I will not hesitate to use my extra weight against you."

Nick rolled his eyes before giving her one last worried glance. With nothing apparently wrong, he went and showered for the day. Once ready, he found Judy down in the kitchen with the car keys in her paw.

"I'm driving today."

"Isn't it enough that you're going to work with me?" Nick groaned.

"Nope."

On the ride over, Judy chatted about how excited she was, while Nick remained stiff as he watched the road with an unsettling gaze. Once at the ZPD, all of their coworkers were confused, yet thrilled, to see a very pregnant Judy present at work. Well, all except one.

"Hopps! Go home!" the Chief yelled over the railing from where he stood on the second floor just outside his office when he saw Judy and Nick enter the building.

"Not today, Chief! I'm here with Nick today."

The Chief threw an accusing glance in Nick's direction, which Nick immediately replied to with a shrug.

"She threatened me. What else was I supposed to do?"

The two strolled through the lobby, said a quick but thorough "hello" to Clawhauser, and then continued on their way to the ZPD offices. Nick had to help Judy into her swivel chair, but otherwise, she needed no assistance whatsoever. In fact, Judy was very much enjoying her day back, and she made sure that Nick knew.

"I'm just _so _excited!"

"I know, you've mentioned it a few times now."

Judy let out another stressed gasp. Nick's attention immediately turned from his computer screen to the bunny.

"You okay?"

"Yes, why?"

"You just groaned when you sat up. Does something hurt?"

"My back, just a little, but I promise I'm fine."

"You should have stayed at home," the fox chastised.

"I'm fine, Nick. I'm sure it's just a knot in my back from not getting too much sleep lately."

"Here, I'll give you a back massage."

Nick stood and made his way across the aisle to Judy's cubicle.

"Oh, Nick, you don't have to do that."

"If I don't have to do it, then why are you scooting forward in your seat?"

"Because you don't _have _to, but you really _should_," Judy giggled.

Nick laughed and placed his paws on Judy's upper back. Resting over the back of Judy's chair, Nick worked his paws through her muscles.

"That feels really good, but go a bit lower. It's my lower back that hurts."

"Should we get that checked out?"

"No, it's just some sore muscles."

"Okay, if you say so," Nick agreed hesitantly as he moved his paws down to her lower back and continued the massage.

"Oh, ouch, never mind. You're making it worse," Judy breathed through a gasp of discomfort.

Nick quickly withdrew his touch.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to–"

"No, it's okay. Don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault. I'm just a bit sore is all."

"I don't know, you really should be at home resting, Carrots."

"I'm fine, really."

A worried look on his face, Nick opened his mouth to apologize once more for making the pains worse, but was interrupted by a booming voice.

"Wilde!"

Nick turned to find a massive cape buffalo towering over him.

"Chief?"

"In my office. Now."

As the Chief turned and made his way from the ZPD offices, Nick looked down at Judy and sighed.

"Wonderful."

"Don't worry, I'm sure it isn't bad," Judy tried to assure him.

"Well, I hope not. We can't support four kids on one salary."

Nick heard Judy's chuckle as he followed the Chief out into the lobby. The two stopped directly in front of the glass doors of the ZPD, where the Chief turned to look down at Nick.

"What's up, Chief?"

"I have a mission for you, Wilde."

"Alright, what am I looking at?"

"More like 'what are we looking at;' you're with me today, Wilde."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Nick stayed silent for a moment as he attempted to comprehend what he had just been told. A mission with the Chief? This was huge for his career, wasn't it? Did this mean that the Chief trusted him? What about Judy, though? Would she be okay by herself for a few hours?

"What's the mission?"

"We're going to get some coffee."

Nick's amazed face turned sour in a matter of seconds.

"Really?"

"Is there a problem, Wilde?"

"You just want coffee?"

"Sometimes I need some 'me time,' Wilde. You can either come with me or stay here and fill out my paperwork on top of yours."

"No problem at all, sir. I'm up for coffee anytime."

Nick followed Chief Bogo out through the glass doors and to the cape buffalo's police cruiser.

"Oh, wow, this hurts," Judy muttered as she attempted to stretch before she continued to type away on her computer.

Just then, a certain overweight cheetah appeared, his face beaming as always.

"Judy! I never got to ask, but what are you doing here? You should be at home!"

"I know, I know. I'm getting ready to leave. I just had to finish up a few things."

Judy continued typing away for another few seconds or so.

"And there. We. Go," she finished with a tap of the keyboard to punctuate each word. "Mind helping me up?"

Clawhauser happily took ahold of both of Judy's outstretched paws and slowly helped her rise from her swivel chair.

"Should I find you a ride home?" the cheetah offered.

"Oh, no thank you, Clawhauser. Nick can drive me."

"Nick just left with the Chief."

Judy let out a heavy sigh that consisted of both agitation and discomfort.

"Okay, well, that's fine," she said, trying to think of what to do next. "When do you think they'll be back?"

"Not sure," the cheetah said with a half-hearted shrug. "Sorry, Judy."

"That's okay. I'll just call him. Can you hand me my phone, Clawhauser?"

Judy gestured to her phone that was sitting on her desk, just out of reach from where she stood.

"Sorry, I'm a little restricted right now," she laughed as the cheetah handed her the device with a big smile and a "no problem, Judy." Placing a paw on her back to balance herself, Judy quickly found Nick's contact and dialed his number. Patiently, she put the phone to her ear and waited. Just then, a small chime began to sound from Nick's cubicle.

"What is that?" Clawhauser asked as he looked around for the source of the music.

Judy threw her phone down onto her desk and angrily let out a deep breath.

"That's his cell phone. He left it here."

Judy tugged on her ears in frustration, trying to keep her cool. She had been excited to be at work today, but now that it was almost noon, she was beginning to grow more and more frustrated with each agonizing pain in her back. Clawhauser shuffled his feet nervously as he waited for her to calm down; he was not trained to deal with a feisty little bunny mom-to-be. After a few moments of Judy's agitated sighs, she finally relaxed. Leaning on her desk to even out her imbalance in weight, she looked back at Clawhauser.

"I think I could use that ride now."

"I'm right on it!" Clawhauser stated with joy now that he had something to do in his area of expertise.

Clawhauser then bounded off as fast as he could, which unfortunately, wasn't very fast, leaving Judy to pack up her things. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Judy's spine down to her abdomen.

"Oh, wow," she breathed as she closed her eyes against the new pain.

Clawhauser came back at the sound and asked if she was okay, but Judy wasn't listening; the pain was too distracting. At first, Judy didn't think much of this pain; she simply thought it was just another Braxton Hick, which was nothing to worry about. However, it was four of these unique pains later that Judy began to feel a growing pressure in her lower abdomen, and with that pressure, reality struck.

"I'm going into labor," Judy whispered, absolutely mortified as she looked up at a very fearful Clawhauser. "And Nick isn't here."


	55. Chapter 55

"Chief Bogo here."

Nick and Chief Bogo had been driving back to the ZPD, coffee cups in hand, laughter and jokes filling the car, when the Chief's phone had begun to buzz loudly. The Chief had almost veered the car into another lane as the voice that came from the other end of the call made him jump.

"Give the phone to Nick!"

"Excuse me, Hopps–"

"_Give him the damn phone_!"

Absolutely stunned, the Chief practically threw his phone in Nick's direction, all while muttering "it's for you." Nick had laughed, not very concerned due to the fact that he was still completely oblivious to the situation, and had brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Nick?"

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"Nick, now is not the time."

"Who is this?"

"You know exactly who this is!"

"Oh, Carrots!" Nick chuckled. "Geez, it's been a while, huh?"

"_Nick_!"

"God, lighten up, Carrots. I'm just joking around–"

"I'm in labor."

"Hmm?"

"Are you even listening to me? _I just went into labor_. I need you here _right now_."

"Aw, can't I finish this cup of coffee first?"

"_Nick_!"

"Kidding!"

"You definitely weren't!"

"It's probably just another Braxton Hick, Carrots. Relax."

"I've had almost six in the last hour. These are _real_."

Nick's breath caught in his throat, making him cough slightly. He felt the balloon in his chest fill so rapidly with air, it seemed to explode. Almost three years of knowing Judy, two years of dating, ten months of expecting babies; all of it led to this.

"_What_?"

"_I am in labor and you need to get here now_!"

Eyes watering from the ragged cough, Nick went into full gear, somewhat ready for the situation.

"Uhm, how far apart are your contractions?"

"_I don't know_! I'm not paying attention!"

"Okay, I want you to take a deep breath and relax. We're on our way."

Nick motioned to the phone and then mouthed "ZPD" for the Chief to see, which he agreed to with a silent nod. He then turned his full attention back to Judy again.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"In the lobby."

"At the ZPD, right?"

"_Where the hell else would I be_?"

"Good point; that was a stupid question."

"You think?"

"How are you?"

"I hurt everywhere, and I am feeling everything, so how do you think I am?"

Judy let out a groan as another contraction struck her. Nick felt his heart ache at the thought of not being there to help her through what was bound to be one of the most important moments in her life. When he was sure the contraction was over and only the sound of Judy's heavy breathing could be heard, Nick spoke again.

"I'm almost there. You are doing great."

"I don't think I can do this, Nick."

Her voice was shaky as it wavered with pain and fear.

"Carrots, you can do this."

"I can't!"

"Yes, you can, okay? Just listen to me."

"No, I can't! I can't do this!"

A feeling shot through Nick's heart as if it were breaking. If he could be anywhere in the world in that instant, he would be right next to Judy, but right now, that wasn't happening, and Judy was panicking.

"Carrots, it's going to be okay. I'm right here."

"But you aren't! You aren't here!"

"I am, listen to my voice."

"Nick?"

"Yes?"

"I'm scared."

"I am too… but we are going to get through this, okay?"

"O-okay, okay."

"Just breathe, alright?"

"Nick, I've been breathing."

Nick rolled his eyes, but stopped when he heard Judy's voice again.

"I swear to God I can _hear _you rolling your eyes."

Then, they were laughing, laughing at everything that they had experienced in the last ten months, in the last three years. They were laughing because they were scared. They were laughing because they loved one another. They were laughing because they were starting a family.

They laughed for several minutes until reality struck when Nick heard Judy's laughing cease as another contraction hit her with the force of a tidal wave.

"How ya doing?"

"I'm going to kill you for putting me through this," the bunny huffed.

"Hey, we've discussed this; I'm too handsome for that."

"I'm serious. You are dead, roadkill, food for bugs."

"Ah, I would believe you if you had life insurance on me."

Nick heard Judy give an agitated sigh and couldn't help but smile, which just like his eye roll, was cut short.

"Don't smile," she snapped.

"I'm not smiling," Nick lied with ease.

"Don't lie to me either."

"I'm not lying–"

"I know you are lying, Nick! Ugh, do you _want_ me to kill you?"

"Even if I answer 'yes' to that question, you are in no state to carry out such actions."

"I hate when you're right."

With his mouth hanging open, Nick turned to the Chief.

"You heard that, right? You heard her say I'm right?"

"_Nick_!"

Judy's screech made the fox jump a foot, resulting in him nearly dropping the Chief's phone. In the background, the Chief was snickering quietly at the spectacle that was taking place, completely forgetting how he had also jumped when Judy had screamed at him earlier on. Quickly collecting himself, Nick put the phone to his ear, and began speaking in his "sweet" voice.

"Yes, Daring?"

"_Shut up_!"

"Yes, Darling."

Judy was attempting to throw another insult at Nick when she was cut short, her voice turning into a painful breath.

"Carrots?" Nick asked, worried. "How ya doing?"

"My water just broke."

This time, it was Nick that let out a painful breath.

"Are you sure?"

"Oh, _I don't know, _Nick, I may have just peed my pants, because that sure does happen often!"

Nick put his paw over the receiver and turned to the Chief.

"Step on it, this is happening."

The Chief nodded without a word and Nick began to speak to Judy again.

"We're on the way," he assured her. "Do you think you can make it?"

"How far are you?"

"Seconds away at most."

"Yeah, I think so."

"Okay, just hold on."

"I can't believe this is really happening. The last ten months went by so fast."

"That's what you think," Nick muttered.

"What was that, Nick?"

"Oh, uh, nothing."

"It better have been nothing."

"Just keep breathing, Carrots."

"Labor really sucks–_Ooh_."

"What happened?"

"Another contraction."

"How do you feel?"

"How do _you _think I feel? I'm having four babies!"

"Believe it or not, I knew that."

When they arrived at the ZPD, Chief Bogo didn't even fully stop the car before letting Nick out. In less than a second, Nick was out of the car and practically flying as he bolted into the building, every muscle in his body screaming out in protest. He slammed past the glass doors and into the lobby.

"Carrots?"

"Here!"

Judy was leaning against the reception desk, one paw keeping her balanced against the desk and the other holding one of Clawhauser's paws. Although she was much smaller in comparison, Judy was managing to squeeze part of Clawhauser's paw so hard that he was actually wincing. Nick wasted no time in running over and swooping Judy up into his arms.

"Oh God, you're heavy," Nick huffed as he nodded at Clawhauser, who was cradling his crushed paw, before he began making his way back outside.

"Now is _so not the time_, Nick!"

"You are also soaking wet."

"What did you think 'my water just broke' meant?"

Nick rolled his eyes and quickly, but carefully, carried Judy out of the ZPD and into the backseat of the cruiser. He laid Judy down across the seats headfirst and then slid in beside her, shutting the door as he did so. The Chief immediately hit the accelerant and began making his way to the hospital with police lights flashing. Judy readjusted so that she was partially sitting up while still lying across the seats. Nick reached over and rubbed one of her arms soothingly with his paw. "We're almost there, Carrots," he stated reassuringly.

Judy took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily.

"This hurts," she gasped.

"You are doing great, just keep breathing."

"Give me your paw."

"I don't think that would be the best idea–"

"_Give me your paw, Nicholas_!"

"Okay! Okay, here–_Ah_!"

"What are you complaining about?" Judy scoffed. "I'm the one in pain!"

"I know, I know. How far apart are the contractions now?"

"You aren't keeping track?"

"Should I be?"

"_Nick_!"

"Sorry! I'm keeping track now, I promise–"

"No, I'm having another one!"

"Okay, I'm keeping track–ah, watch the paw!"

"Ooh, ouch!"

"Just keep breath–alright, my paw is definitely broken."

"Stop being overdramatic!"

"Yes, Datling," Nick said sarcastically with a pained, yet lazy, expression.

Almost eight minutes, and one more contraction later, the Chief pulled his police cruiser directly in front of the automatic doors that marked the entrance of the hospital. Nick slid out of the car and helped guide Judy out and into his arms. Shutting the door with his hip, Nick began carrying Judy into the hospital as the Chief sped away to finding a parking spot in the parking complex. Judy gripped onto the front of Nick's shirt tightly as the fox hurried to the receptionist desk, where a very kind looking otter sat behind a computer.

"Hi, uh," Nick stumbled. "We're having a baby–well, my wife–uh, my fiancé is having a baby–no, four babies actually, and we–"

"I went into labor about twenty minutes ago," Judy stated shortly as she cut a stammering Nick off.

The otter smiled pleasantly and quickly found them a nurse to lead them to a room. It didn't take long for a few nurses to help Judy get settled in a decent sized hospital delivery room. Once as comfortable as she could manage, Judy helped Nick fill out the hospital forms. She then waited patiently as Nick began calling family to inform them of the news.

"Call your mother first," she instructed.

"Why?"

"Because I like your mother."

"If we call her first, then she will be here in seconds."

"I fail to see the problem, just call her."

Nick sighed and dialed his mother's home phone number. It didn't take long for her to answer.

"Hey, Mom … Well, that's why I'm calling. We are at the hospital and–… No, no, we're fine. It's just that– … Mom, would you let me talk? … I'm not being rude, just–ugh, Judy went into labor … Ow, you're going to blow my ears out, stop shouting … I– … Okay … Well, wait now. You don't have to come right–"

Nick stopped talking as his mother disconnected the call, already in full swing to arrive at the hospital soon. Nick looked at Judy with a smirk.

"You brought this on yourself."

Nick then called Judy's parents and let them now as well. Although the bunny couple was leaving immediately, it would still be hours before they arrived. Once all of his responsibilities were taken care of, Nick snuggled into Judy's hospital bed next to her. Still experiencing contractions every now and the, Judy laid her head on Nick's shoulder.

"I'm exhausted already."

"Sleep a little."

"I don't know if I can."

"Just try. I promise I won't let my mother wake you when she comes and busts the door down."

Judy giggled softly, and then without another sound, she dozed off while still leaning on Nick. Nick's mother arrived ten minutes later, but she only found a fox and a bunny curled up asleep in bed together, both temporarily safe from reality.


	56. Chapter 56

It was nearly three in the morning the following day when the news finally came.

"Alright, Mom, I think we're just about ready to do this."

Judy looked at Nick with worry in her eyes.

"When she says 'we're,' does that include me?"

Nick nodded his head and chuckled.

"You know, I'm not the smartest when it comes to all of this baby stuff, but I do think that her word choice included you, especially since she said 'Mom.'"

"I was afraid of that," Judy sighed, making Nick smile again.

He then took her paw in his paw and kissed the back of it gently.

"You've got this."

Judy took a deep breath before closing her eyes and shaking her head, trying not to cry.

"I don't. I'm going to mess this up just like I do everything else."

"Hey, hey," Nick leaned in and dropped his voice to a soothing whisper. "You don't mess anything up at all."

"I do! I mess things up all of the time."

"And so does everyone else, but _you_ don't mess up all of the time, and you aren't going to mess _this_ up."

"How do you know?" Judy sniffled.

"Because I know _you_."

Judy smiled briefly before another crashing contraction hit, making her clamp her jaw shut and focus on not crying out. She then let out a small sob after it had passed.

"I can't do this."

"Carrots, listen to me, you can do this, okay?"

"Okay," Judy nodded, tears still filling her eyes. "I love you, Nick."

At first, Nick didn't reply. The feeling in his chest hadn't gone away since Judy had called and told him that she had gone into labor, but right now, the feeling changed slightly, making him aware of it all over again. In the beginning, when the feeling was a rare occasion, Nick had thought that it would go away after Judy gave birth to the babies, but now, he realized that this feeling was permanent. It showed that he cared, that he worried. It was the only thing that would always make him know when something dangerous like a polar bear attack was about to happen, or when to grab and hold out a trashcan just in time, or when Judy was about to slip and fall so that he could catch her, or when something special like a baby kicking was about to happen; it was the only thing that would always make him a wonderful father and a wonderful husband. In that moment, Nick looked directly into his life mate's brilliantly bright amethyst eyes, but the feeling in his chest told him not to say, "I love you too." Instead, he felt the need to say something that held a much deeper meaning.

"Marry me."

"What?"

"Marry me."

"You already proposed, like twice–"

"No, marry me right here, right now. Just the two of us."

"But that's not an official thing," Judy stated, puzzled.

"I know it's not, and we will still have a huge wedding for our friends and family, but I want to marry you before we have kids. I want to marry you when it's just the two of us. I want to marry you and then marry you again, but know that I have already married you. I want to marry you right now."

Judy was speechless, tears now streaming down her cheeks.

"Mom, we ready?" the doctor asked.

Slightly distracted, Judy nodded at the doctor before turning back to Nick.

"Okay, I'll marry you. Right now."

Nick grinned, wrapping her right paw in both of his paws. Judy grinned back at him, before kissing him gently on the nose.

"Do you, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, take me, Judy Laverne Hopps, to be yours?"  
"I do," Nick smiled. "Do you, Judy – Carrots – Laverne Hopps, take me, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, to be yours?"

"I do."

"Well then I may kiss the bride."

Judy giggled as Nick leaned in and kissed her full on the mouth. When the broke apart, the doctor was speaking again.

"Mom, on the next contraction, I'm going to need you to push."

Judy nodded again.

"Here we go," Nick said before standing up from his seat. With the aid of a nurse, he then helped readjust Judy's bed so that she was in a sitting position, her legs open and spread wide at the opposite end. Nick then placed an arm around Judy's upper back, his other paw still entangled with hers. There it was again; the feeling. It hit Nick quickly, but he instantly knew what it meant. Leaning in one last time, Nick kissed Judy on the top of her head and whispered a speedy "I love you," right before the contraction that he knew was coming hit Judy with all of its might.

"Push!"

"_Ah_!"

Gripping Nick's paw, Judy bent forward and put all of her energy into the action of delivering, but it wasn't easy or painless. The doctor counted for ten seconds, although to Judy, it seemed like ten hours.

"Come on, Carrots, you got this," Nick stated as he tried to ignore the pain in his paw as Judy crushed it.

When the doctor finally reached ten, Judy hissed with pain before lying back against the pillow in short-lived relief.

"Alright, one more big push, Mom."

"Oh God, I'm never doing this again," Judy muttered with closed eyes.

Nick smirked, but furrowed his eyebrows as he thought over her statement.

"Wait, you don't want to do this again?"

Judy ignored him, primed and ready for the next set of instructions.

"Alright, push!"

This time, ten seconds weren't needed; at about four seconds, the news came

"There's Baby 1! Congratulations, Mom and Dad, you have a little baby boy."

"That's Robin," Judy breathed as her first child was held up for her to see.

Robin was a little fox whose fur was that of a soft maroon color. His eyes were a shade of green lighter than Nick's and his ears were absolutely massive, almost bigger than his entire body. Robin screamed his tiny little head off as a nurse quickly took him and began cleaning him up in the corner of the room. Nick let his gaze follow the nurse as she carried Robin away, but Judy didn't have time to enjoy her first child; she had three more to worry about.

"Here we go, Mom. Push!"

Another ten agonizingly slow seconds went by, but for Judy, it seemed to go by a little faster, with a huge reward at the end.

"And Baby 2 is another boy!"

"If I'm not color blind, that's Red," Nick smirked at his second son, a fox that was a tiny Nick Wilde with violet eyes.

A second set of cries filled the room as baby Red was also taken to receive his cleaning. Judy took a deep breath and let it out slowly before laying her head back on her starched hospital pillow. Nick leaned down and kissed her forehead softly.

"You're doing great, Carrots."

"I feel horrible."

"You look horrible."

"I hate you."

"I love you too," Nick chuckled.

"Halfway there, Mom. You ready?"

Judy nodded feebly and attempted to sit herself up slightly for the next contraction, but this time around, Nick had to aid her more than before, which he noticed with growing concern.

"Okay, and push!"

Judy squeezed Nick's paw much tighter this time, but the fox simply grit his teeth and let her. The effort paid off, though, as their third child arrived almost half a second later.

"Baby 3! Another boy!"

"That's Alan. I can already picture him in a suit," Judy laughed quietly.

Just like Red, Alan was the spitting image of Nick, pure fox all around; even his eyes shone a brilliant green. However, his fur maintained the dark and light gray color mix of Judy's. Judy let out another laughing breath.

"Of course, I have three boys who are all foxes and look just like you!"

"Hopefully they don't act like me," Nick smirked, making Judy laugh once more before needing another quick rest.

"Alright, Mom, I need you to keep your energy up. We're almost done," the doctor stated loud enough to be heard over Alan's cries. "And... push!"

Ten seconds came and went, and then another ten seconds, and then another, and another, but nothing occurred. Nick's ears were glued flat to his head as he attempted to coach Judy on, despite her clear exhaustion. She had let go of his paw a while ago to instead grip the handles set on the sides of her hospital bed, and it had left Nick feeling very lonely. If something was wrong, there was nothing Nick could do. This time, he was on the sidelines.

Halfway through the fifth time of counting to ten, Judy collapsed back onto the bed and ceased all of her effort.

"I can't do this!" she gasped.

"Mom, you're almost done–"

"I said I can't do this!" Judy snapped at the doctor, who immediately retreated.

Nick reached for Judy's paw, but the bunny quickly snatched it back from his reach.

"Carrots, you're almost done–"

"Does it look like I'm almost done? We've been at this for _hours_!"

"I know, I know. It's exhausting and it's painful, but I promise we are going to get through this. We've made it this far."

"I can't do this, Nick," Judy sighed heavily.

Nick knotted his eyebrows and gave her a very severe look.

"Judy Hopps, the ambitious bunny who risks everything to solve even the smallest of cases, beaten by four babies?"

"What? No, that's not–"

"I'm going to have to tell the entire precinct about this."

"Wait, I didn't–"

"I thought you never quit, Judy."

Nick's words hit a nerve deep within the tiny rabbit, who felt on fire as soon as the sentence reached her ears.

"When I'm done with this, I'm going to kill you."

The way Judy hissed "this" made Nick smirk, knowing that he had convinced her that this was nothing more than another job on her list. Still slightly mocking her, Nick took Judy's paw once more and nodded at the doctor.

"Okay, push!" the doctor instructed.

Thankfully, ten whole seconds weren't needed this time.

"_Ugh_!"

With one final breath, instant relief flowed through Judy's body.

"Here's Baby 4! Oh, isn't she beautiful?"

The doctor held up the one and only bunny, and the one and only girl out of all four children. She was a little Judy, from the shade of her fur and the color of her eyes to her overall tiny size.

"Violet," Nick and Judy said together with big smiles.

Judy had tears streaming down her face now. They cleaned up a shrieking Violet before taking all four babies from the room to do a routine checkup to ensure the children were completely healthy. Nick kissed Judy full on the mouth as the doctor congratulated the two. The happy moment was short-lived, however, as a moment later, Judy slowly leaned back onto her pillow, her eyes fluttering shut as she did so.

"Carrots?"

Monitors surrounding Judy's hospital bed began beeping frantically, alerting every nurse in the room to act quickly. Nick remained very still as chaos erupted around him.

"Judy?"

With doctor's orders that Nick didn't hear, nurses rolled Judy's bed from the room, leaving Nick completely alone.

Twenty hours of labor. Twenty hours filled with just the right words meant for soothing Judy through each contraction, twenty hours filled with holding Judy's paw as various shots and types of pain medication were given to her, and twenty hours filled with smiling and some laughing at the reality of the situation. After twenty hours filled with Judy on top of the three previous years that had been filled with Judy, Nick was left all alone.


	57. Chapter 57

**Ten months later...**

"Alan, stop pulling on your sister's ears. You know that isn't nice," Nick stated as he carefully removed Alan's little paws, which were tightly wrapped around Violet's floppy ears.

His attention was quickly divided, however, as he noticed another one of his sons flailing an arm with a sippy cup in his grasp.

"Red! No throwing things, please."

Nick gave the toddler a firm, yet amused glance. The child babbled happily before throwing the cup as far as he could manage. Nick caught the cup with ease before setting it out of reach on the kitchen counter. Sighing lightly, Nick leaned his lower back against the counter and looked over the kitchen, which was an absolute mess.

Red was seated in a highchair as he munched on a cup of dry cereal that Nick had poured for him, Alan and Violet sat on the tiled floor as they played with a variety of toys that were scattered about, and Robin crawled around aimlessly as he shrieked with laughter whenever Red threw a piece of cereal down onto the floor. Nick smiled at his kids, trying to ignore the mess they were causing.

The entire house was in various degrees of messiness, in fact, but Nick didn't really mind it. He enjoyed finding toys all over the house, or finding different types of snacks hidden in couch cushions or blankets; it only reminded him of his adorable children. He didn't necessarily enjoy falling down the stairs after stepping on a small toy car, and he certainly didn't love when he found rotten fruit that Alan had expertly hidden when it was ripe (which he weirdly had a habit of doing), but Nick let the pros outweigh the cons when it came to his children.

On this lovely Saturday that he didn't have any plans for, Nick found the time to enjoy time with the kids. It was late morning, but the children had been up since the early hours of the day after going to sleep very late the night before, leaving Nick with a permanently sleepy expression for the day. Still leaning against the counter, Nick reached over and picked up his coffee mug, which he took a large swig from before sighing once more.

It was pleasant moments like these that made him think back over the last few months, the last few months that had been eventful as the kids learned to sit up on their own, eat solid foods, and crawl around without needing too much help. Although exciting, the last few months had also been filled with several all-nighters, hours of listening to screaming and crying, and several different tantrums, but again, Nick liked to let the pros outweigh the cons, so he quickly wiped the bad pieces from his memory. In this game of endless good and bad moments called life, Nick noticed that Judy was the factor that put everything into perspective. When thinking of her, he always thought about the bad events first, letting them haunt him for a few seconds.

Over the years, Judy had scared him several different times; he had seen Judy bleed, heard her screams, seen her cry, and so much more. How could he not love her after everything they had been through?

_"Judy."_

Nick shivered as he thought of the last time Judy had scared him, the time that had put him on edge more than any other.

_"Is she going to be okay? Please. Is she going to be okay?"_

On a day that had been marked with such excitement as the couple welcomed their four newest members, Nick had also been frightened beyond all belief. Nick closed his eyes momentarily as he let the events of that day repeat in his mind.

_"Nicholas, stop pacing, everything is going to be fine."_

_"This isn't fine, Mom! Tell me, does anything seem fine to you right now?"_

_"Things like this happen."_

_"They don't! They don't just happen!"_

_"Nicholas… you need to be prepared."_

_"Prepared for what?"_

_"You know..."_

_"No, I don't know. Be prepared for what?"_

_"Be prepared if… well, if she doesn't make it."_

_"You did not just say that to me."_

_"Nicholas, listen. If something happens to her, can you manage four children on your own?"_

_"I don't know, Mom. Why are you asking me these things? Can't you be considerate for five seconds?"_

_"You need to be thinking about these things. Can you manage to take care of the children while also working, all while paying for the house, and the bills, and food?"_

_"I don't know."_

_"Can you do this alone?"_

_"I don't know!"_

That day, he hadn't known at all. Though what his mother had said was completely reasonable in the situation, Nick hadn't been ready to accept her words. Neither had Judy's parents, or her entire family for that matter. In fact, Nick's mother had been the only one ready to accept the worst-case scenario.

_"What happened?"_

_"Her placenta ruptured, causing some heavy internal bleeding."_

_"I thought you fixed that months ago, Doctor."_

_"Complications can occur, Mr. Wilde."_

_"Is she going to be okay?"_

_"We've taken her up to surgery and we are doing everything we can."_

Nick shook his head and came back to reality as he felt a heaviness settle in his chest. The fox quickly turned his attention back on his children, focusing on the present rather than the past. Robin was attempting to open a childproofed drawer, while Alan was pulling on Violet's ears again as Red showered them all in cereal. Nick smiled and lifted Red from his highchair. He then worked carefully to pick the other three small children up, juggling them in a skilled manner as he made his way upstairs and into the kids' room. Once there, Nick placed them in their crib with a few stuffed toys, turned on the baby monitor, turned out the lights, and left the room to allow the children to nap for just a few hours before lunch. Nick went into his room, where he collapsed on the bed and took a deep breath. Keeping his eyes wide open as to keep from falling asleep, Nick stared up at the ceiling and let his thoughts wonder once more.

_"What am I going to do without her?"_

_"You'll get through this, Wilde. I have faith in you. If you need anything, let me know."_

_"Thanks, Chief."_

"Nick?"

Nick sat up and quickly opened his eyes, which had closed as his thoughts began to slip into the beginning of dreams.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Judy giggled as she set the car keys down on the dresser.

Two weeks after the birth of their children and Judy's surgery, the bunny had gone right back to work, but only for a few hours a day. Nowadays, she had a permanent smile etched on her face as she went through life with nothing but happiness in her heart. The workout that police work gave her also aided in Judy easily losing the excess weight the babies had given her in the ten months they were expected for. She looked fantastic. "Not at all, Darling," Nick smirked as he held out a paw for her to join him.

"I put the groceries away, sorry it took so long; the store was crazy," Judy laughed as she laid down next to Nick. "Where are the kids?"

"Napping, hopefully," Nick shrugged.

Judy snuck a glance at Nick's face before looking up at the ceiling and speaking again.

"You look like you just saw a ghost, are you okay?"

"I was just thinking about something."

"About what?"

"The day the kids were born."

"Ah, that day was amazing."

"Not all of it."

"That's because you're thinking about the bad parts. Try thinking about the good parts."

_"Oh, Nick! Look at their little faces!"_

_"They're all so tiny."_

_"They are just absolutely precious. I can't believe we made these cute little things. I mean, look at you, Nick, you're downright ugly, so this was like a miracle."_

_"Oh, so Mom's got jokes, huh?"_

_"I'm tired, can you blame me?"_

_"No. No, not at all. In fact, all I can do is thank you. I love you, Judy."_

_"I love you too, Nick."_

_"Stop crying, you're going to make me cry."_

_"What are you talking about, you're already crying!"_

Nick smiled at Judy.

"You're right. That was a pretty good day."

"I told you that I wasn't going to let four little babies beat me," Judy chuckled.

"I guess I should have taken your word for it, Carrots."

"You really should have. I'm always right."

"Sure you are. Remember the polar bear incident?"

"_This is all my fault_."

"You're never going to let me live that one down," Judy sighed, amused.

"Or the fox in the alley?"

_"It's okay, Carrots. It's going to be okay. I've got you."_

"I actually have chosen to forget about that one," Judy snorted. "You always focus on the negative, Drama Queen."

"Not always. Remember the first day we met?"

_"…Officer...?"_

_"Hopps! Mr…?"_

_"Wilde, Nick Wilde."_

"I do remember that day!" Judy giggled, making Nick smile as he thought about when he had hustled the bunny.

"Remember when you proposed, Nick?"

_"Carrots, will you marry me?"_

"How could I forget? I also remember when you told me you were pregnant during that huge birthday party you threw for me."

_"Nick, I'm pregnant."_

_"Wow."_

"The party where you accused me of cheating on you?" Judy asked smugly.

"Ugh, don't remind me."

"I guess I shouldn't remind you of the pictures from your bachelor party too then, huh?"

"You always have to bring that up, don't you?"

"It brings me joy."

"Oh, well then don't forget about Valerie."

Judy's expression turned sour.

"Ugh, don't bring her up."

Nick chuckled before planting a kiss on Judy's cheek.

"I'm just joking, Carrots, but I really do love our memories; they amaze me to think that I have spent so much time with you when it seems like it has only been a few seconds."

"I feel the exact same way," Judy smiled sweetly, her eyes gleaming.

"Hey, Carrots, I love you, you know that?"

"Of course, and I love you too."

Nick leaned over and lifted himself onto one arm.

"No, but I really love you," he stated.

Judy sat up slightly too and chuckled.

"I know, Nick. I really love you too."

"I can't really explain it, though."

"Explain what?"

"Explain how happy I am. Explain how grateful I am that you're safe and lying next to me right now."

"Aw, Nick, come on. Enough of that cute stuff."

"I'm serious, though."

"I know, and I feel the same way for you, but you don't need to worry, because I'm not going anywhere."

Just then, a small cry erupted from the receiving end of the baby monitor that was strategically placed on Judy's bedside table. Judy let out a little laugh as she collapsed back onto the bed dramatically.

"I got it," she smiled as she stood, kissed Nick on the nose, and left to go and soothe the crying child.

A few minutes later, the crying stopped, and Judy returned.

"All good," she smiled with a thumbs up.

"For like five minutes, maybe," Nick laughed.

Judy gave him an agreeing look before lying back down onto the bed.

"So, what should we do for the five minutes?" she asked.

Nick pretended to think this question through before grinning.

"Sleep."


	58. Chapter 58

"Put. It. Down."

Nick's voice was perfectly clear as it cut crisply across the living room to a certain bunny's perky ears. With a roll of her eyes and an indignant noise, Judy turned the page of her somewhat large magazine. Dressed in black leggings and a semi-baggy maroon shirt that draped over her elegant figure nicely, the rabbit sat comfortably on a black leather couch that occupied most of the space in their living room. With her feet rested on a dark coffee table and her late evening tea, still warm, waiting on a coaster nearby, the bunny was in absolute paradise.

"Hmm?" she inquired with raised eyebrows as the magazine page kept her attention.

Nick, dripping wet from his shower with a white towel wrapped loosely around his waist, stared at the back of her head lazily as he replied from his place just at the entrance of the living room. "Put the magazine down."

"It's magazine_s_ technically," Judy responded as she waved a paw toward a stack of magazines that sat below her propped up feet.

"You have more than one?" Nick asked and then chuckled. "Of course, you have more than one."

Still staring at her magazine, a small smile flickered across Judy's lips.

"Oh, I've got dozens. I have more in my bedside table upstairs too," she grinned wryly, still not making eye contact with Nick.

"You're a hoarder and you have a problem, Carrots."

"What is this, an intervention?"

Another page turn.

"Carrots, I'm worried about you. The children are worried about you," Nick stated in a voice full of exaggeration and false worry.

"The children are worried about the fact that they don't have married parents," Judy said curtly.

"Ouch! Low blow!" Nick laughed loudly.

A large grin across his face, Nick removed his slightly damp towel and threw it at Judy. The towel hit with a small thud, making Judy turn, scoff, and throw her magazine, flailing pages and all, at a chortling Nick.

"Mommy? Daddy?"

A small, innocent voice came from the end of the hall as a now almost three-year-old Violet slowly toddled into the living room, eyes still sleepy from her short time asleep, despite the time now being much past her bedtime.

"Nick!" Judy hissed as Nick snatched a pillow from the couch and covered himself as their daughter came into view.

"Hey, Baby!" Nick grinned. "What are you doing up?"

The baby shrugged, her fur and pajamas ruffled.

Nick smiled at the sweet little bunny.

"Go back to sleep, Honey," he instructed gently.

With a small nod, Violet (the easiest to get to sleep by far) turned and carefully climbed back up the carpeted steps and walked back into the room she shared with her three brothers. Once the tiny bunny was out of sight and there was no noise coming from the second floor, Nick looked back at Judy, a grin on his face. Judy, however, did not return the grin.

"Put your clothes on!" she reprimanded. "You almost scarred your daughter for life!"

"Chill, _Mom_. I had it handled," Nick scoffed as he dropped the couch pillow and pretended to flex his arms, to which Judy responded with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm going up to bed," Nick raised his eyebrows and gave her a look as he said "bed" in a certain tone. "You coming?"

Judy laughed and picked up a magazine from the pile that sat on the floor beneath her. She showed the cover to Nick, who stuck out his tongue in objection at the picture of the bridal gowns.

"We aren't doing _anything _until _after_ we are married," Judy teased.

Nick shrugged with a lazy expression.

"I think our four kids are proof that that has never been a rule in this house, but whatever. It's you missing out."

He then picked up the damp towel from the floor, swung it over his right shoulder, and went upstairs. Judy sat in silence for a few moments as she reflected over a few things, before she stood, grabbed her tea, and followed Nick.

Once on the second floor, Judy peered into her kids' room and glanced over all four children. Violet, Alan, Robin, and Red were all sound asleep in their small beds, now separate, that took up about half of the room. Violet was curled into a small bundle, her favorite stuffed bunny (named Holland) wrapped tightly in her paws. Alan was lying flat on his back with his covers pulled up to his chest neatly without any wrinkles, almost as if they hadn't even been moved. Robin was on his stomach, sprawled over his mattress with his sheets in tangles around him. Red was half lying on the floor.

Judy crept into the room and placed Red back in bed, covered Robin up once more, kissed Alan on the forehead, and smoothed a paw over Violet's messy fur before leaving, closing the door behind her as she did so. Hopefully, no one would experience any bad dreams or hear any loud noises important enough to cause a bit of midnight chaos. Judy then went into her own bedroom, a fairly large one she and Nick occupied. Nick was partially dressed now with a pair of flannel pajama pants covering him from the waist down while his chest remained bare. He was lounging on the bed, TV remote in paw as he absentmindedly flicked through various television channels. Judy closed the bedroom door and leaned against it as she looked at Nick.

"Can we talk?" she asked somewhat shyly.

Nick glanced over curiously before flicking off the TV and jumping up from the bed.

"What is it?" he asked with some concern creeping into his voice.

"I just–well, I–do you really want to get married?"

Completely taken aback, Nick hesitated a moment, a hurt expression clear across his facial features.

"I didn't mean–I just–" Judy stated, flustered, "I'm just nervous."

"You don't have to be nervous, Carrots," Nick stated, pulling Judy closer to him as he spoke. "Of course, I want to marry you. Since when do you doubt stuff like this?"

Judy shook her head and looked down at her feet.

"I'm just having difficulty processing all of this. There's so much to do and so much to think about."

"Like what?" Nick asked. "Tell me what we need to do, and I'll help. You don't have to do this all by yourself."

"No, I know, and I don't want to; it's just that some things can be handled quicker if I do them."

"You don't want me to help plan our wedding?" Nick chuckled.

Judy's face blushed a light shade of red.

"That's not what I meant. It's just that–"

"I know, it's just easier to do the things you don't think need to involve several animals. I get it. I know you, but I think you're stressing yourself out over something that isn't very important."

"Not important?" Judy asked as she pulled away from Nick's grasp. "What do you mean 'not important?' This is a huge deal!"

"I know, that's not what I meant–"

"Yes, it is," Judy stated bitterly, before storming past him and into the bathroom that joined their room.

"You're picking a fight for no reason, Carrots," Nick called after her. "Of course, I want this. I proposed, didn't I?"

"Only because you knocked me up!" Judy yelled as she came out of the bathroom with her pajamas in paw.

Nick rolled his eyes as he watched the bunny angrily throw the clothes down on the bed and turn on him swiftly.

"I didn't knock you up. No, we didn't talk about it, but it definitely wasn't a one-night stand," Nick stated lazily.

"You sure about that, Nick?" Judy hissed.

Nick narrowed his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked with a confused smirk.

"You know exactly what it means!" Judy yelled, her voice rising with each word. "Don't act like you meant for any of this to happen!"

"Whoa," Nick exclaimed. "You think I don't want this? You think I regret the kids, regret you? Is that it?"

"You tell me, Nick!"

"Tell you? You should know!"

"I don't know!" the bunny said, exasperated.

"Are you telling me you regret this?" Nick asked, astounded.

Judy threw her paws into the air before turning away and then turning back with a scoff.

"Well? Do you? Regret us? Regret the kids? Regret me? Huh?"

"That's not what I'm saying, Nick!"

"Then what are you saying?"

"I don't know," Judy sighed. "But I don't regret my kids and I _certainly _don't regret you!"

Nick took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Look, we're just tired. We had a big day, but we got a lot done, okay? We talked to our planner, got a rough outline; we're making progress. We even had time to take the kids out for lunch, which was fun for everyone. We aren't really having this fight, because this isn't what we do," Nick sighed. "We haven't been together for almost seven years just for us to fight about something we've wanted this entire time."

At this, Judy sighed and did another quick half turn as she thought things over.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I'm being crazy."

"No, you aren't. Obsessive, yeah, but not crazy."

Judy scoffed and playfully tossed a pillow at Nick, which he caught with ease.

"We're a mess," he chuckled. "Just one big mess."

Judy nodded slowly in agreement as she reflected over a few things.

"Do you know what Robin told me today?"

Nick shook his head with a shrug.

"He says a lot of things, Carrots."

Judy smiled.

"Well, he told me that you gave him a chocolate bar for breakfast."

"Ugh, that snitch."

"But, he also told me that he thinks Mommy and Daddy are 'good,' to put it in his words."

Nick laughed and shook his head.

"Glad to know that our kids think we're a cute couple."

"Now all we have to do is get married," Judy smirked.

"Yeah, which isn't hard at all," Nick remarked sarcastically.

Judy tossed another pillow at the fox before running a paw over her face. She paused and glanced at the glittering ring that was present on her paw.

"It's going to be a Wilde Wedding," she sighed heavily.

Nick laughed loudly.

"Pun intended?" he asked.

"Pun intended."


	59. Chapter 59

"Daddy!"

"Up! Up!"

"Daaaaaaddy!"

Nick kept his eyes closed despite the chaotic tornado of children that surrounded him. From what he could hear and feel, Violet was tugging on his ears and repeating "Daddy" over and over again, Robin was climbing over his back, Red was tugging roughly on his right foot as he continued to scream "Up!," and he was pretty sure that Alan was just sitting quietly somewhere close. Yes, despite the physical pain his children were causing him, Nick didn't dare open his eyes, mumble a word, or even move, because that meant an even worse onslaught from the children who would surely realize he was faking sleep. This charade continued for many minutes, until he heard a very quiet Alan finally speak, and what he said could have given Nick nightmares.

"Hi, Mommy."

"I'm up!" Nick hollered as he quickly pulled himself up with his arms.

The sight that met him included four wide-eyed children happy to see their father awake and a very frustrated bunny with crossed arms and a thumping foot.

"It's past nine," Judy growled as she reached for a smiling Alan, who clearly favored her.

"I know," Nick sighed with a whining voice as he slid from the bed and ran a paw over his tired face.

"Well, did you know that we are going to be late to work?"

"Yes, Carrots."

Another sigh escaped Nick's lips as he dragged his feet into the bathroom, where he quickly splashed water onto his from the running faucet.

"Did you also know that your mother is sick and can't watch the kids today?" Judy called from the bedroom.

Water dripping from his fur, Nick ran a paw over his face as a frustrated groan escaped his lips.

"You're kidding," he stated, as if stating it made it true.

"Nope," Judy replied shortly. "Also, the wedding planner called; she wants to meet with us tomorrow afternoon."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes, tomorrow."

Nick entered the bedroom once more, where Judy paced back and forth, a content Alan in her arms. Robin and Red were chasing each other around the room, while Violet sat patiently at the end of the king-size bed.

"What's the plan with the kids?" Nick asked as he pulled on one of his many green button-up Hawaiian shirts that occupied his closet space.

Judy fixed the fox with a coy look.

"I called in a favor," she smirked easily, which made Nick slightly uneasy.

Before he could question further, Judy had turned her attention to the children.

"In the car everyone! Let's go! Come on!"

Without another word, Nick quickly buttoned his shirt, grabbed the car keys, his badge, and wallet from their places on his bedside table before following his family down to the kitchen.

From the look of the kitchen, it was clear that the children had been up for some time, as the kitchen smelled of waffles, and the dishwasher was whirling with noise as it cleaned the most recent load of filthy dishes. From the kitchen counter, Judy picked up the two coffee cups she had pre-made and handed one to Nick. Nowadays, due to the couple's hectic schedule, they made all of their coffee at home. In fact, the couple hadn't visited their favorite coffee shop (or their favorite diner, for that matter) in many months.

As usual, every car ride with the Wilde-Hopps family was an absolute nightmare. It was also a fairly loud process as Nick and Judy attempted to load the kids into the car. By the end of the ordeal, even Nick, a mostly relaxed and sarcastic fox, would appear to be ruffled and a little on edge. The drive was usually worse, with every one of the four children demanding something in high pitched squeals.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Nick pulled their SUV into the parking lot of the Zootopia Police Department. He quickly maneuvered the vehicle into the parking spot that had now belonged to him and Judy for years. As two of the ZPD's top police officers, Judy and Nick were like war veterans with many stories to tell. New officers strived to be them, as they represented the "perfect" situation, with a happy relationship, a family, and wonderful careers. To Nick and Judy, it wasn't always that simple.

"Alright, Rabbit, what do we do with the kids?" Nick questioned as he watched Judy hop from her place in the passenger's seat down onto the pavement below before she opened the back-right car door to start unbuckling Red.

Her paws expertly undoing Red's seatbelt, and then Alan's, Judy replied in a simple tone.

"Take them inside, of course," she stated matter-of-factly.

Nick rolled his eyes as he also got out of the car and began helping the kids out of the car.

Moments later, the couple walked into the lobby of the ZPD with a chaotic circus as they led the four children inside. Alan was comfortably seated on Judy's right hip as she cradled him lightly, while Violet followed closely at her feet, never straying. Red and Robin, the two more reckless children, were climbing all over Nick as the fox chuckled lightly at Judy's disapproving "mother look."

It was with great joy that the family was greeted by a familiar animated voice. Benjamin Clawhauser, an overweight, overexcited cheetah practically screamed with glee at the sight of Nick, Judy, and their children. In fact, everyone in the lobby had about the same reaction, as it was a rarity to see not only the two great cops, but the babies that their interspecies relationship had created (despite not being married first), especially since the family didn't really get out much anymore. Balancing the two boys, Nick leaned down to Judy's height.

"We aren't leaving the kids with Clawhauser, right?" he whispered from the corner of his mouth. "I mean, I love the guy, I'm just worried he'll give them enough sugar to keep them up for two years."

Judy laughed and waved at Clawhauser as she made her way over to his large reception area.

"Hey, Clawhauser. We can't really chat too much; taking the kids up to the Chief," she stated kindly.

"The Chief?" Nick blanched.

Judy ignored him. Also surprised by the fact that the Chief would be responsible for the children, Clawhauser took a moment to reply, but quickly bounced back into the conversation.

"Just make sure you come back, Judy. I've got a case file for you two."

Thanking the big cat, Judy led her family into the elevator that was just off to the side of the reception area. Once the steel doors slid shut, Nick wheeled on Judy.

"When were you planning on letting me know that the kids are spending the day with the Chief?"

"I just did, didn't I?" Judy smirked.

Nick's eyebrows furrowed as he glared at her smirk.

"They're my kids too, Carrots. I'd like to know when you plan on leaving them with our _boss_."

"We have yet to prove the kids are yours," Judy joked. "Relax, Nick, I've got it under control."

"Since when do you of all animals tell me to relax?"

"Since we had four kids," Judy shrugged in reply as the elevator doors slid open once more.

As the family began walking down the hall to the Chief's office, a thought occurred to Nick.

"Carrots, does the Chief know we're leaving the kids with him?"

"Well, not exactly," Judy mumbled.

Nick didn't even have time to react as the rabbit quickly opened the door to the cape buffalo's office, and then all he heard was the Chief's booming voice.

"Hopps! Wilde! You're late–what is _this_?"

The Chief had been sitting at his massive desk when the four small children had invaded his office. Now, the cape buffalo was on his feet, completely distraught.

"Chief, we have a little bit of a problem," Judy said calmly.

"You're damn right we do! What are your children doing here?"

"Watch your mouth around my children," Judy stated patiently.

Nick scoffed; Judy never failed to surprise him. Here they were, bothering the mammal in charge of their employment, and chastising _him_ about language of all things. However, that didn't stop Nick from taking a moment to reflect on how much he loved that crazy little bunny.

"Just take them for the day," Judy said.

"Are you mad, Hopps? They're children in a police station!"

"I don't have any other choice today, Chief."

"Take them home!"

"With who to watch them? If you think I'm going home, you're mistaken."

"I'll go home," Nick chipped in quickly.

Judy turned and shot him a very nasty look before turning back to the Chief.

"He isn't going anywhere either," she snapped.

"You're pushing it, Hopps!" the Chief snorted violently.

"Oh, you always say I'm pushing it. Are you going to take them for the day or not?"

Slightly taken aback at Judy's everlasting boldness, the Chief stood in silence for a few moments.

"Fine," he sighed. "But only for today!"

"Thank you, Chief," Judy grinned as she grabbed Nick by the paw and started leading him to the door. "We'll pick them up at the end of the day."

Out in the hall, Judy laughed.

"I can't believe that just worked!"

"Carrots, that was by far the greatest thing I have ever seen," Nick chuckled.

Behind them, they heard what sounded like a vase smash inside the Chief's office. The two froze and exchanged worried glances.

"I'm sure they're fine…?" Nick attempted to reassure Judy.

"_Hopps_!"

The Chief's voice echoed all throughout the ZPD, shaking the very walls. Both Judy and Nick flinched before looking at each other again.

"They're fine," Judy stated before quickly walking into the elevator, Nick following hurriedly behind her. Both immediately pressed the panel to close the elevator doors. With the doors shut and the elevator gliding back down to the lobby, the fox and bunny took a moment to laugh.

"We are so fired," Judy giggled.

"Yes, but we can get this case in really quick if we run," Nick smirked. "You up for it?"

"Of course, I'm up for it," Judy smiled. "Someone has to make the world a better place."


	60. Chapter 60

"We're back, bitc–!"

"Language."

"You never let me have any fun," Nick laughed. "You ready, Carrots?"

"Hit it."

With a somewhat evil grin, Nick switched the radio to a rock and roll station that was blaring one of the latest hits, and with a flick of his wrist, turned the music up until the thumping beat filled the SUV. The sly fox then leaned back easily in the passenger seat, his movements fluent as he adjusted the sunglasses he was wearing down his face just enough for him to peer out over the top of the shades, adding a bit of allure to his already angled facial features.

"Your turn, Darling," he grinned.

Judy, comfortably seated in the driver's seat, shifted the vehicle into reverse. With a screech of tires and a wicked look of satisfaction, the bunny swiftly pulled the car from its parking spot and then laughed.

"Oh, how I missed this," she chuckled before throwing the SUV into drive and pressing down on the accelerant.

With a smell of burning rubber and screeching tires that surely left marks in the ZPD parking lot, the two were off, police siren wailing as they swerved in and out of traffic. This being the couple's first big case in quite some time, the pair was more than excited to be back in the swing of things.

"Alright, so here's the deal," Nick hollered over the road noise, music, and siren. "String of bank robberies over the last few weeks–all Downtown. Some officers were positioned to keep an eye on things, but they still have no idea who's doing it or why. From the looks of it, though, there's a pattern."

"And this bank is next?"

"Yep, pretty top priority bank too."

"Keeping it nonlethal?"

"Sounds good to me. Going off of previous robberies, I'd say this thing is most likely gonna happen at about noon."

"So, two minutes from now?"

"Yep."

"And we're nowhere near the bank, which is all the way across town, right?"

"Yep."

"We'll make it."

Her foot now practically pressed to the floor, Judy easily blew through two red lights in a matter of seconds. Nick grasped onto the dashboard as Judy swerved the large SUV through heavy afternoon traffic.

"Watch it, Carrots!" the fox shouted as Judy just barely missed a delivery truck that was attempting to park in front of a bakery. "I didn't exactly take you for a reckless driver."

"We've been partners for _years_," Judy scoffed. "Don't act like this is a surprise."

"You're right, I think your obsession with romance novels is the real surprise."

"Oh, please, as if your obsession with cartoons isn't!"

"It's not an obsession, Fluff, it's a passion!"

Nick's reply sent Judy into a fit of giggles, which consequently led to Nick entering into a bout of laughter. Though neither would admit it, they had missed this; missed the cases that were just the two of them having fun, no strings attached. The last time they had this type of fun, it had been–well, it had been before they had started dating, another thing neither would admit. It wasn't that dating or children had caused the fun to vanish, it had simply caused complications, as it should. The complications were and continued to be entertaining, sure, but sometimes, old fashioned joy was enough.

Judy brought the SUV to an ear-splitting stop in front of the to-be-victimized bank, but from the signs of broken glass and mammals shouting, the victimizing had already begun. The two quickly exited the vehicle, tranquilizer guns pulled from their belts as they did so, and stealthily made their way up onto the sidewalk in front of the bank.

"I'll take the back," Judy told Nick, who nodded.

"Watch yourself, Carrots."

"_You_ watch _yourself_, I've still got it."

"Oh, yeah? I don't know, with all of that extra weight from the kids–"

"My aim is still excellent, so I'd quit walking on thin ice, _Nicholas_," Judy practically hissed, confidence in every syllable.

"Ah, you didn't have to '_Nicholas_' me, I was joking!" Nick chuckled quietly.

Shaking her head, but smiling at Nick's antics, Judy crept around the side of the large stone building. Nick, who took one last look in Judy's direction to ensure all was well, holstered his tranquilizer gun and walked into the front of the bank with a sway in his step.

"Stop right there!"

Completely sanguine, Nick did as the voice said, casually putting his paws in the air for added pleasure.

The front office of the bank was completely trashed, with various papers, writing utensils, and office supplies scattered across the carpeted floor. In one corner off to Nick's right, about a dozen mammals (some employees, others customers) were all down on the floor, huddled against one another. Fear was plastered on all of their faces, and Nick immediately saw why. The owner of the voice that had commanded Nick's cease in movements was a badger with a permanent snarl set into his features, and he was holding what appeared to be a fully loaded automatic assault rifle. Nick swallowed hard at the sight of the gun, not expecting to see such a heavy-hitting weapon anywhere near this case and knowing that Judy was still unaware of the danger. With only tranquilizers on both of them, the case statistics just went down in the officers' favor.

Clearly the leader, the badger stood in the center of the bank, gun draped over his shoulder as if the world belonged to him. Behind the counter, three more badgers worked to stuff money into several knapsacks. From what Nick could tell, they still had a lot more money to collect if they were planning on empting the bank, so time was one thing he had on his side.

"No mask. We're the cocky type, I see," Nick smirked casually.

"Shut it!"

"Tsk, tsk, such a temper. I guess the belief that you can't have all power and be all good is true, considering you clearly have all the power right now."

"And you best keep that in mind if you want to stay alive."

"If you were going to kill me, you already would have. Come on, you know I'm a cop."

"Calling me a coward?"

"If that's the word you prefer, then–"

Nick was interrupted by the sound of the rifle firing several times as the badger shot at the ceiling. The group of mammals in the corner cowered and whimpered in fear. Even Nick had bent down slightly in fright of being shot at.

"Oh, too far, Nick," the fox muttered to himself as he straightened back up.

Judy, who had successfully made her way to the back entrance of the building and hacked into the bank's security system to unlock the door, had now already entered the building. Moments later, she was primed and ready to silently take out the badger that was nearest to her. Completely alone and clearly nervous as well as distracted with the task to gather money, the badger was an easy target, but the bunny was interrupted by the sound of a rifle unloading a clip within seconds. Judy quickly retreated, firmly pressing her back against the nearest wall as she hid from the sound. Her breathing became rapid at the shocking realization that there was a deadly gun being used just in the other room, and that it has just been fired – hopefully at no one, especially not at Nick. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Judy quickly reassured herself that Nick wasn't stupid, he could handle the situation... well, maybe. No matter the case, she needed to do her job. The bunny then turned the corner slowly, took aim, and silently took down the badger she had been eying earlier. Judy then crept slowly toward the now unconscious badger, checked his breathing, took his weapon – a pistol – and surveyed the area. With no one else nearby, Judy unhooked her ZPD communicator from her belt and called for backup.

"I have a question for you."

"Shut your mouth fox!"

"Aw, come on, just one little question?"

"Do you ever _stop _talking?"

"Ha, my wife asks the same thing."

The badger fidgeted slightly at the word "wife," which Nick quickly took advantage of. He was going to back a lie with several truths.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I not mention I have a wife? Four kids too, all adorable. Any of you have kids?" Nick asked the group of cowering mammals.

A few nodded shakily.

"Yeah, kids are great. Always keeping you on your toes," Nick chuckled, almost to himself. "Do you have any kids?"

The badger scoffed at the question as if it were the stupidest thing to be asked. The question went unanswered, the badger growing increasingly uncomfortable. Nick nodded his head in understanding.

"Hey, I get it. Having a family is rough, especially when you can only provide by stealing from banks."

"_Shut up_!"

Judy froze over the second badger, also now unconscious. She had been unloading the badger's gun, also a pistol, when a ferocious shout had startled her.

"Don't do anything stupid, Nick," she muttered as she continued on.

It didn't take her long to locate the final badger behind the counter. She took aim quickly and fired a silent tranquilizer dart that caught the mammal just beneath his jaw.

From his position at the front of the bank, Nick saw the third badger take a tranquilizer dart to the neck and quickly drop to the floor. He could also hear police sirens wailing far away; Judy must have called for back-up. From the corner of his eye, Nick caught a glimpse of the bunny moving behind the counter.

Big mistake.

The lead badger (who was still protected with the rifle) caught Nick's glance and turned quickly, just nearly missing a look at Judy, but that didn't stop him from noticing a lack in movement from his own crew.

"Guys?" he called out, somewhat anxiously.

When no reply came, the badger began moving toward the counter, his gun at the ready.

The next few seconds were filled with silent chaos as several things happened all at once. First, Nick quickly pulled his tranquilizer gun from his belt, aimed, fired, and missed the badger by just a few millimeters, sending the dart into the wood of the counter. Heart racing, Nick then attempted to reload his gun, leaving him defenseless as the badger turned and aimed his rifle right at the fox. Finally, Judy quickly stood up from behind the counter and also took aim with her tranquilizer gun. All was silent with the exception of police sirens, now very close, crying in the road outside, until–

"Nick!"

Judy's scream directed Nick's attention to first the rifle about to kill him and then to her, and then one rapid thought crossed his mind before guns finally fired: "_she's aiming at _me."

"_Judy_–"

Judy's gun fired, then the rifle, and Nick hit the floor with a loud thud.


	61. Chapter 61

"Nick! Hey, Nick? Can you hear me?"

"Ca...r...rot...s...?"

"Shh, lay back. You hit your head pretty hard when you fell, so take it easy."

Nick's vision and hearing were fading in and out. Through his foggy vision, he caught glances of Judy, who was cradling his sore head in her lap. He heard her voice, but only caught pieces of it, as he also heard police radios, others talking, and the traffic outside. He felt his head throbbing with a dull ache, and he felt something stinging his chest, but he couldn't quite comprehend what was going on. Judy's voice reached his ears once more.

"Here, this is going to sting a bit."

For a few moments, Nick was left confused as to what Judy was talking about until the already stinging part of his chest suddenly shot with pain, as if a needle has just been pulled from his body. Nick let out a noise of discomfort, which he heard Judy lightly laugh at.

"Shut up," the groggy fox mumbled.

"I see someone's making a rebound," Judy chuckled.

Nick grudgingly pulled himself into a sitting position and rubbed at the sore spot on the back of his head. His vision almost completely clear, the fox took in his surroundings. They were sitting on the floor of the recently almost-successfully-robbed bank, with several animals moving around them. The street outside was filled with police cruisers and was roped off by caution tape. Several officers were escorting employees and customers out of the building, as well as taking their statements as to what they had witnessed. The four criminals were nowhere to be seen. Nick attempted to recount the events before his fall to the floor, but came up short.

"Carrots, what happened?"

"All of the badgers are on their way to the ZPD, all unharmed and in some serious trouble. No one was hurt… well, kind of. You hit your head pretty hard," Judy said with a pained expression. "I'm sorry, I honestly didn't expect you to fall that hard. An ambulance is on the way just to make sure you're okay. Try not to move too much."

"Carrots?"

"Yes?"

"Did… did you _shoot _me?"

"Uh, yeah, about that–'

"Hopps!"

The Chief's booming voice quickly commandeered the environment, making Judy and Nick flinch in surprise. The two looked up to find a very flustered cape buffalo with four babies practically crawling all over him.

"Find a babysitter next time or don't bother coming to work!" the cape buffalo snapped at the couple.

The four children shrieked several different greetings before bombarding the bunny and the fox with crushing hugs as the Chief stormed away.

"Let's go home," Nick muttered as he attempted to stand, but Judy immediately sat him down.

"Oh, no. You're staying here until the paramedics can check you out."

"I'm fine, Rabbit, and we've got to get the kids home–"

"I can take the kids home. Think you can catch a ride?"

Nick nodded in reply, his right paw still rubbing at the painful lump that was forming on the back of his head. Without another word, Judy planted a gentle kiss on Nick's forehead before gathering the children and loading them into the SUV.

Delgato, a fairly well-built lion who was a good friend of Nick and Judy's, helped Nick stand up and slowly make his way over to the back of an ambulance, that pulled up just a few moments after Judy's departure. A couple of antelope paramedics fussed over Nick until they found no serious injuries. The fox was given an ice pack and medical clearance. Nick then caught a ride with officers Delgato and Grizzoli, who made jokes about Nick's injuries until they dropped him off at home.

The house was surprisingly quiet when Nick arrived home, but from the sight of the fading daylight, he assumed the kids would either be asleep or close to. Moving at a snail's pace, Nick made his way upstairs, peered into the dark room that belonged to the children, found all of the children peacefully snoozing, and then walked to the end of the hall and into the master bedroom. Judy was seated comfortably on the plush king-size bed the two shared, paperwork surrounding her. She was wearing black sweatpants and a dark purple shirt that complimented her fur and eye color nicely. She looked up and smiled at the sight of a disheveled Nick.

"Hey," she chortled.

"Hey. Paperwork for today?"

"Yeah, I picked it up on my way home. You were there for a while, everything alright?"

"Just a headache, nothing serious."

Nick sat the ice pack he had been cradling against the base of his skull down on their mahogany dresser with a small thump, and began unbuttoning his light green Hawaiian shirt. Judy stacked up her paperwork nicely and slid down from the bed. In just a few steps, she was in front of Nick, helping him slide the shirt off of his shoulders. The look on her face was enthusiastic while also serene, overall aroused.

"I missed you," she smiled sweetly.

"Okay, what's up with you?" Nick laughed as he carefully placed his paws on Judy's arms. "You _missed _me? I was only gone for a couple of hours, and we were with each other all day."

"I know," Judy shrugged. "I just missed you. I was worried about you, you hit your head _really _hard. It was like _boom_!"

Judy used her paws to make an overly exaggerated smacking gesture. Nick chuckled at her adorable gestures, but his smile quickly vanished as a thought occurred to him.

"Speaking of which, did you shoot me today?"

"Oh, yeah," Judy blushed slightly with a small smile playing at her lips. "I did. Sorry."

"_Why_?"

Judy giggled at Nick's incredulous tone.

"That badger was going to shoot you, Nick! I had to do something."

"So, you shot me?"

"Well, yeah, but it was just a tranquilizer dart."

"Why didn't you just shoot the badger?"

"He would have fired no matter what, so I took you out of the line of fire."

"That's wild, Carrots," Nick laughed. "I mean, that has to be one of the craziest things I've ever seen you do."

"Yeah, and let's not forget you making fun of my aim when you were the one missing targets."

"Hey, I had it under control."

"Oh, I'm sure," Judy scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

"I have to admit it, though; you're Bunny of the Year today. Found the kids a babysitter, handled a case, saved my life, brought the kids home all by yourself, put the kids to sleep, _and _started the paperwork. That's hardcore."

"What can I say? I–"

"–don't know when to quit, yes, I know," Nick chuckled. "But seriously, Carrots. Thank you for saving me today."

Nick leaned forward and planted a kiss on Judy's forehead.

"Sorry, what was that?" the bunny asked with a smug look.

"Don't push it, Carrots."

"No, really, I think there's something wrong with my hearing," she giggled. "What did you say?"

"Nothing is ever wrong with your hearing!"

The couple broke down in laughter, arms around each other. Several minutes went by as the two tried to hush their laughter in attempt to keep from waking the kids, only to end up laughing harder than before. After they quieted down, Nick sighed.

"I missed this."

"Missed what?" Judy asked with her head slightly tilted to the side in curiosity.

"Missed the laughter, the fun, the craziness that is just the two of us. I love the kids and I love the life we've built here, I do, but I miss the old days."

"Like?"

"Like when I still lived in that rundown apartment and we'd order the same meals from the diner almost every other night. We'd stay up late watching movies on the couch and laughing at each other. Or how we used to grab coffee from that coffee shop that was just down the street, and we'd sometimes go in and sit in our favorite booth in the back and chat until we had to go to work."

Nick smiled at his words, but the smile disappeared when he saw the look on Judy's face.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you… do you regret having kids?"

"No! Carrots, of course not. I'm just reminiscing."

"I miss those days too," she admitted quietly. "Miss the dangerous missions, miss the inside jokes, miss the pranks we used to pull on one another."

"Those were the good old days, but we have good days now too, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Judy smiled.

Then, without warning, Judy's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Oh, Nick! Do you still have the carrot pen?"

Nick thought for a minute before replying with a smile.

"Yeah, come here."

Taking Judy's paw, Nick led her over to their walk-in closet. The couple then dropped to their knees as Nick began sifting through his side of the closet.

"Nick, you really need to organize all of this."

"Here it is," Nick smirked as he pulled the carrot pen (now dulling in color out) of a box that was filled with old paperwork and worn out neck ties.

"I stopped putting this in my shirt pocket a while ago, can't remember why, though," Nick muttered, somewhat to himself.

"I wonder if it still works."

"Let's find out."

With that, Nick pressed the "play" button on the side of the pen. Judy's voice, clearly happy, as well as some background noise, filled the closet.

"_Yes_."

"'Yes?'" Nick asked as he looked over at Judy, who was beaming.

"Oh, Nick, that's from when you proposed," she gushed as she rested her head against Nick's arm.

At her words, Nick smiled.

"I love you, Carrots."

"I love you too, Nick."

"This is going back in my shirt pocket, where it belongs."


	62. Chapter 62

"Give it!"

"Carrots!"

"Give me the phone, Nick!"

"What's the magic word?"

"_Oh_, I am going to _kill _you!"

"That's a phrase, not a word–_oof_!"

Nick doubled over from the pain that Judy's knee to the groin had just caused. His gasp, followed by his painful whimpering, reverberated off the walls. Triumphantly, Judy swooped down like a hawk and snatched her cellphone from Nick's paw as he loosened his grip on the device. Ignoring a muttering Nick, who was using "evil" and "violent little rodent," as well as several other colorful words and phrases, Judy unlocked her phone and dialed the most recent number in her call log. The phone rang twice.

"Hi, Sarah?" Judy answered with a sickly-sweet voice and a large grin to match. "I was just calling to confirm about our meeting later this afternoon… Yes, sounds good… Two o'clock, yes… We're just thinking of discussing the general outline. Maybe decide on a venue among other things… Sounds great… Thank you… uh-huh… Bye."

Ending the call, Judy turned back to a fox who was on the floor pretending to gag and make a scene. Unable to succeed in keeping Judy from making the phone call, as well as taking a severe beating in the process, Nick easily ventured into over exaggeration and childishness.

"Are you done?" Judy asked, her voice practically dripping with venom.

"That depends," Nick smirked. "Are you going to win a Grammy for that act you just put on over the phone?"

"Well, with my only acting competition being you," Judy laughed. "I'd say 'yes.'"

"That was cold-hearted, Rabbit."

"Oh, quit patronizing me! I'm just trying to be nice. She's our wedding planner, after all. That otter is basically running our whole wedding – making it happen! Don't you think she deserves a little kindness?"

"I think the hundreds of dollars we're paying her and the several more hundreds of dollars she'll convince us to spend is enough 'kindness,' don't ya think?"

The look Nick received was clear evidence that the two did, in fact, not share the same idea. After several seconds of silence, Judy bit back once more.

"Look, we haven't exactly done things the right way, so I want to make sure that this is different."

Nick pulled himself off the polished lobby floor of the ZPD. He rubbed his chest slightly, as he was still sore from where Judy's tranquilizer dart had pierced him the day before, leaving nothing but sore muscle behind in its entrance and removal. The two stood near the door that led to the department's offices, which was just a few feet away from the bathrooms, as well as the women's and men's locker rooms. Judy had stepped out of the offices to call their wedding planner to ensure their plans for the afternoon remained intact. Having talked with their wedding planner previously to arrange a rough outline of their ideas and thoughts, the couple had yet to truly sit down and have a proper meeting with their planner, Sarah, an otter who was rumored to be one of (if not the best) wedding planners in Zootopia. Nick, not wanting to meet with their wedding planner and much rather preferring an afternoon home alone with Judy, had followed the rabbit and intercepted the call easily.

Judy's wedding plans were nothing short of extravagant. She wanted a dress that fit her figure perfectly, while also billowing around her, with a little bit of lace and silver trim here and there. She wanted a big event with all of her and Nick's friends and family there. She wanted food that was so pleasing to the eyes and taste buds that people would be reminiscing over it for days after. She wanted Nick in a black tuxedo that featured a silver tie. She wanted her sons to match Nick and her daughter to match her. She wanted a cake that was big enough to feed everyone and was also unique for her wedding. She wanted only the best kind of music, the best kind of dancing, the best kind of champagne – the best kind of everything. Nick… well, he just wanted to get married.

"'Haven't done things the right way?'" Nick repeated back as a question, his eyes and tone showing some clear emotions.

Judy quickly attempted to refrain.

"I'm just saying – well, you know!"

"I don't think I do."

"It's just that we kinda did things out of order," Judy shrugged. "We moved in before we were even a couple, had kids before we got married, bought a house and basically started living before we were even ready. Oh, and don't even get me started on the whole interspecies relationship aspect of this! Old Mrs. Boer down the street _still _glares at us every time we play with the kids in the yard! I swear, that goat would drown me for marrying a predator if she had the chance."

Nick rolled his eyes with a small smirk at his wife's exasperated paw movements which accompanied her story.

"Yes, we all know she's a bit discriminatory – it's nothing we haven't seen before. Let's go back to the doing 'things out of order' conversation, shall we?"

"Well… what about it?" Judy sighed.

"What do you mean 'what about it?" – you're the one who brought it up! You just listed our whole life together as if it were all wrong."

"Oh, Nick, that's not what I meant," Judy said. 'I'm just saying that we didn't do things in the most conventional way."

"And that's a problem why? We aren't really known for doing things the conventional way, Carrots." Nick said with a slightly puzzled, slightly annoyed look.

A playful conversation had quickly taken a steeper turn toward a much more serious topic.

"Oh, Nick, it isn't a problem! I just want to do this whole wedding thing right. If that means we need a wedding planner, then we need a wedding planner."

At this, Nick rolled his eyes once again and rested his paws on his waist.

"We finally find a babysitter for the kids and we spend our free time with a wedding planner. Great," he remarked bitterly.

This time, it was Judy who rolled her eyes.

"Chief Bogo doesn't count as a babysitter, Nick!" she shot back, exasperated. "He's only doing this for a few days while we look for a real babysitter, and we are not going to waste his time and patience by going home and messing around rather than getting things done!"

"Messing around is fun, though," Nick whined.

"We can mess around _after _we're married."

"Yes, because our four children aren't proof enough that marriage clearly hasn't dictated our se–"

"_Nick_!"

"Okay, okay," Nick submitted with his paws up in defense. "Sheesh, Rabbit. Animals are gonna start thinking you're my mom with the way you're always lecturing me."

"I couldn't live up to Mrs. Wilde's reputation," Judy chuckled as she and Nick began making their way back to the offices.

Nick strode ahead of her and opened the door as he smirked.

"Unfortunately, I think you already have."

The look he received wasn't exactly one of love.


	63. Chapter 63

It was late.

That was Judy's first cognitive thought when she opened her eyes and only darkness met her. A blurry glance at her bedside clock showed that it was just a little past three in the morning. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, Judy sat up slowly, leaving the warmth of the mattress beneath her and the presence of Nick sleeping soundly next to her. Her eyes adjusting to the darkness, Judy saw that Nick was well over his side of the bed and on her side… _again_. Looking around, the house seemed oddly quiet and almost eerie. A chill crept over Judy, her brows furrowing as she felt the gears in her brain begin to turn again after hours of light dreaming.

This was odd.

That was Judy's second cognitive thought. The house was quiet, not unusual, but a little _too _quiet. The house was also much colder than it should have been, as if every door and window had been left open, letting in the cold night air. The oddest part about it all, though, was the fact that Judy was awake at such a late hour. It was common for her to sit up abruptly when she heard one of the children crying out or when Nick had a nightmare about being muzzled, all occasional occurrences in the Wilde Home, but as far as she could tell now, there was no immediate cause for concern, which in itself created concern.

Judy was so deep in thought over these strange events that when a large bang went off downstairs it jolted her violently.

"Nick," Judy whispered, shaking his left arm firmly but gently.

It took more than one try to even stir him slightly; he was a heavy sleeper.

"Wha's goin' on?" the fox slurred, his eyes fluttering open and shut.

"Nick, I think there's someone downstairs."

Judy waited for his response, her heart hammering in her ears and her breath caught in her throat, but it never came. She looked down to see Nick fast asleep once more. Huffing impatiently, Judy closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I can do this," she whispered to herself. "If there's someone downstairs, then this is stupid, but on the other hand, if there's no one down there, then _I_'_m_ just stupid."

Judy opened her eyes and sighed once more as she quietly slid from the bed, opened her bedside table, and pulled her secondary tranquilizer gun from the depths of the drawer.

"Either way, I can do this," she reassured herself as she checked the gun and its ammunition.

Glancing back at Nick, Judy crept from the room in nothing but light pink athletic shorts and a black t-shirt that was just slightly too big on her. Taking each step slowly, her ears snapped to attention, Judy snuck from the bedroom she shared with Nick, quietly clicking the door shut behind her. She then took a few steps down the hall to the kids' room, peered in, and once she had seen nothing but her four soundlessly sleeping children, also clicked their door shut. Her heart still thumping louder than anything else, Judy eased her way to the top of the stairs, peering down onto the ground floor of the home, but seeing nothing in the dark. She didn't need to see anything, however, as small scuffling noises reached her sharp ears. Gun in front of her at the ready and her entire body at attention, Judy stepped lightly down the carpeted steps, eyes darting around the room. The first room to come into view was the living room to her immediate left, where the large glass sliding door located on the opposite wall that led to the massive fenced-in backyard was open, the gentle breeze lifting the white curtain covering the door now and then.

Anxiety quickly creeping over her chest like vines, Judy quickly noted that if the backdoor was open and everyone in the house was completely unaware of it, then the alarm system they had purchased had been disabled. The system her and Nick had invested in before anything else ensured that no wandering child would get outside without the two of them knowing. The alarm would beep once loudly if a window or door were ever opened, and if a door or window were ever broken into, then the alarm would sound without stalling. Here, the backdoor stood open ominously, no damage to the glass or the frame, yet no alarm had ever sounded to alert the residents of the door being opened. There was also the question of how the door could be open when it had been locked hours before, which Judy was sure of as she had been the one to lock it. With no alarm system for who knew how long, Judy instantly felt much more vulnerable. Without the system, alerting the authorities or calling for help would be manually left to someone in the house, and with only two animals being over the age of three, the odds weren't necessarily in the family's favor.

Shaking these thoughts from her head, Judy approached the open door, inspected the backyard, then slid the door shut and securely locked it before continuing her trek through the home, now making her way to the back of the house, where the kitchen was located with a side hallway leading to the garage. The digital clock on the oven read 3:22. In just a few hours, Nick's alarm would go off, setting them up for another day of dressing four toddlers, frantic working, and wedding planning with their wedding planner (who they had yet another meeting with that afternoon).

The kitchen was quiet and dark, with only a few lights located on the oven, the microwave, and the coffeemaker lighting small spaces of the countertops. The outline of a dark object on the floor near the island in the kitchen immediately caught Judy's eyes. With further investigation, Judy quickly discovered the object was a frying pan laying upside down on the tiled floor. The sound of the loud noise from earlier discovered, Judy glanced up at the rack above the island where she hung all of her cooking pots and pans.

She barely registered anything else before her senses kicked in and she whipped around, firing off a tranquilizer dart as she did so. The large, dark figure that stood before Judy was quick, moving just slightly to avoid the dart and grabbing her wrist roughly, throwing her off balance with ease. The dart pierced the brown cabinet on the far wall, missing the intended target completely, but before Judy could shoot for a second time, she was struck hard in the face, blood instantly pouring from her nose or lip – she couldn't tell which. Suddenly, a scruffy rag covered her mouth and nose, and a bulky arm wrapped around her small body, her tranquilizer gun falling from her grasp and sliding across the room. Struggling violently, Judy attempted to kick and hit her attacker, but to no avail. The attacker only held her tighter, her ability to breathe constricted by the grip. Practically tasting the chloroform from the rag as it entered her lungs with each struggled breath, Judy attempted to quickly kick the ground, making a loud enough noise for someone to hear. After only a couple of kicks to the floor, hard enough to make her joints sting, the attacker easily lifted Judy from the floor, her feet barely grazing the tile now and keeping her from her last chance of calling out.

Attempts at fighting back and being heard became more difficult as the seconds ticked by. Thoughts of her four children and their safety flooded Judy's brain. Hope that Nick heard her, somehow sensed her need and was coming to the rescue, or currently calling for help, or scooping the children from their beds to keep them with him, overflowed her senses. Tears stinging her eyes, Judy could do nothing but hope that Nick would come save her once again.

With the comforting thought of being back in bed next to the warmth that Nick always provided, heavy shadows began to fall over Judy's eyes, her limbs became heavy, and the energy faded from her body.

Then, the world went dark.


	64. Chapter 64

Nick groaned at the blaring sound of his alarm going off at six o'clock sharp. His face buried in pillows, it took a few moments for Nick to convince himself that he did in fact need to get out of bed, a very difficult thing to accomplish. Complaining as he did so, the fox grumpily turned the alarm off, stood, and stretched. With a few yawns and a few slaps to his own muzzle, Nick managed to get himself into working order.

"Good morning, Carrots," Nick smirked as he turned to his wife-to-be, who was surely up and dressed already.

His smirk disappeared at the sight of the empty bed.

"Carrots?" Nick called out as he walked to the master bedroom's bathroom, which he also found empty.

Judy's toothbrush was dry and neither the sink nor the shower had recently been used. Confusion etched into his facial features, Nick made his way through the bedroom, noting that Judy's police uniform was still hanging in the closet and that her badge was still resting on her bedside table. The drawer of her bedside table wasn't completely closed, which caught Nick's attention as it was odd for Judy to leave things open or out of place. Covering his bare chest with a t-shirt he swiped from the floor, Nick opened the drawer completely, immediately noting how organized it was. It took a moment before he realized what was missing.

"Judy?" Nick called loudly, becoming increasingly worried when the echo of his voice was the only answer.

Now moving at a faster pace and investigating his surroundings, Nick left the bedroom and ventured down the hall, where he checked on the kids who were still fast asleep – Robin snoring louder than rush hour traffic – before he made his way down the stairs. All looked well, until Nick entered the kitchen, his feet falling on cold tile.

The sight of the room made his stomach turn.

Judy's tranquilizer gun was lying alone on the floor near several drops of blood, an overturned frying pan not far away. The only other object that was out of place in the room was a tranquilizer dart that stuck out awkwardly from one of the nearby cabinets.

"Judy!" Nick yelled out, quickly picking up the tranquilizer gun and cocking it, ready to take aim if necessary.

"Daddy?"

Nick wheeled around, tranquilizer gun in hand, only to find his four children all standing at the entrance of the kitchen looking ruffled and sleepy. Violet stepping forward as she began to speak again.

"Daddy?"

All four of the children had slightly baffled expressions as they attempted to make sense of their surroundings.

"Hey, kiddos," Nick cooed.

Quickly thinking and lowering the tranquilizer gun, Nick glanced at the scene around him once more before he ushered the children away from the kitchen with reassuring tones, then down the hall, and out onto the porch. Grabbing the car keys as they left the home, Nick placed all four children in their family SUV, where he buckled them all in safely, started the car, and put on one of the educational music CDs that Judy had purchased for the children a few months prior. With the children occupied by the music and the toys they had a habit of leaving in the car, Nick left the driver's side door of the car open as he stood on the driveway's warming concrete in the morning sun. Phone in hand, it took mere seconds for the right animals to be notified. Within the hour, at least six ZPD vehicles, more than a dozen officers, and Chief Bogo himself were at the Wilde Home.

Once everyone had been informed of the situation and CSIs had begun investigation of the house, it took seconds for Nick to begin throwing out orders, something he didn't feel he needed permission for.

"You," he snapped at a nearby rhinoceros officer, who immediately stood at attention. "Take my keys and drive my kids to 304 South Phoenix Drive. It's a blue house with a huge garden out front, you can't miss it. It's my mother's house. Take three escorts with you – absolutely no less than three, you got it? I want officers posted outside of that house at _all times_. I want to know of anyone coming around that house and no one is to let my mother or my kids out of their line of sight until this is all figured out, you got that?"

The rhino nodded at Nick's strict voice, then took the SUV keys and immediately went to work, but Nick had already turned to another officer, this one a polar bear.

"And you, get two escorts and head to Bunnyburrow. I want officers at the Hopps Home at all times as well, but do not notify anyone there of what has happened, you hear me? You keep things low profile. I want reports on any suspicious activity. Go."

Following in the rhino's footsteps, the polar bear also took his orders and left. A very exhausted Nick then turned to a smirking Chief Bogo.

"That's one way to get the things you want," the cape buffalo commented.

"I need to know that they're safe," Nick muttered bitterly.

"I understand, Wilde, we're doing everything we can here–"

"Look, no offense, Chief, but don't give me that. I'm one of your highest-ranking officers, I don't need the talk we give to grieving girlfriends who think their boyfriends are missing when they're really just being unfaithful with their secretary. My wife is _missing_," Nick bit back.

At the look on the Chief's face, he amended part of his statement.

"Wife-to-be, fiancé, whatever you want to call her – she is the mother of my children and the love of my life and my partner, so we aren't going to do 'everything we can here,' we are going to find her no matter what that takes."

"I hear you, Wilde," the Chief growled. "Why don't we start with what happened? Start from the beginning, tell me everything."

"I already told you: I woke up this morning and Judy was gone."

"Believe it or not, I think I had figured that much out for myself."

"What else is there to tell you?" Nick snapped.

"You're an officer, Wilde! You need to tell me everything; don't leave out any details!" the Chief fired back hotly.

The tension between them was thicker than any fog Nick had ever seen. With a sigh, Nick ran his paws over his face and ears, ruffling his fur in places. He knew that if Judy were here, she would tell him to take a deep breath and try to relax, that yelling wouldn't get him anywhere.

"My alarm went off at six this morning," Nick began calmly. "I got up and Judy wasn't in bed. I just thought she was already ready, you know? She usually has herself and the kids ready to go before I can even get out of bed."

Nick smirked at the thought of how hurried Judy always was. The Chief nodded thoughtfully and urged him to continue.

"But something felt off and the house was too quiet. I checked the bathroom and nothing looked moved or out of place. I checked the closet and saw that her uniform was still there, her badge too. That's when I noticed that her bedside drawer was open. She never leaves it open, it's where she keeps her other tranq gun."

"And the gun was missing?"

"Yeah, so then I _knew _something was wrong. I checked on the kids, then went downstairs. Everything seemed fine until I got to the kitchen and saw the–saw the–"

"Saw the gun and the blood?"

Nick sighed and nodded his head, agitated. A ram was currently barricading the front door of the Wilde Home with bright yellow caution tape. Nick watched in a daze before he sighed once more.

"I didn't hear a single thing all night, Chief. I can't believe that she was down there all by herself facing who knows what and I was just too busy sleeping."

"These things happen, Wilde. You can't expect to be there for her every moment of every day."

"I should have been there in that moment, though," Nick frowned. "Then, she would have been okay."

"Chief!"

Nick and Chief Bogo looked up to see a badger, sporting a black jacket with white letters spelling out "CSI" on the left breast, rushing toward them. The Chief straightened up at the sight of the badger.

"What have you got, Palawan?"

"All evidence has been collected and is on its way back to the lab for further investigation," the badger stated, his voice deep with significance. "We confirmed that Officer Hopps was the one who fired the tranquilizer gun. Evidence shows she's the only one who came into contact with the gun, besides Officer Wilde."

Suddenly, the badger's face fell slightly.

"And there's one more thing, sir."

"Well, spit it out, Palawan," the Chief barked.

"The blood on the floor was confirmed to have come from a rabbit. We haven't identified if it's Officer Hopps' blood yet, but the chances are fairly high, sir."

Nick grit his teeth and ran a paw over his ears and down his neck once more.

"Do you have any idea who did this, or how they got into our home?" Nick demanded.

Palawan looked slightly taken aback, but remained still and calm.

"We don't know how just yet, but there are signs the security system was down for approximately an hour – from three to four in the morning. We believe someone broke into your home early this morning and that Officer Hopps went to investigate and found herself immediately overwhelmed. We still don't know exactly why the attacker was in your home, but if I had to guess, since there is nothing missing or disturbed in the home… I'm assuming the assailant was there for one of you – maybe Officer Hopps, maybe you, maybe a child – I'm still not certain. The attacker left behind no trace evidence, so we have yet to make an ID."

"So, what I'm hearing is that you know absolutely nothing, am I right?" Nick growled.

The badger attempted to stutter a response, but Nick dominated the conversation.

"Oh, no, wait, scratch that, you do _think_ one thing – you think that someone came into my home with the intention to take a member of my family. Now, tell me how that's reassuring!"

"Watch yourself, Wilde," the Chief threatened easily before he dismissed Palawan with a wave of his hoof. "Let's just take a deep breath and–"

"Oh, and now I've got Mr. Hot Head telling me to be calm. This is all just going astoundingly well!"

"_Wilde_! Must I remind you that you have a job to do and that I am your superior? Watch the way you speak to me! Take a deep breath and pull yourself together, fox! Hopps is one of my best officers; the ZPD is her family as much as you are, and we're all going to do our best until she's located and returned home safely. Until then, she is the ZPD's number one priority, do you understand me?"

Under the glare of the cape buffalo, Nick nodded calmly, considering the words he had just heard.

"Good," the cape buffalo snorted. "Because you aren't allowed anywhere near this case."

"_What_?" Nick shot back indignantly. "Chief, you can't take me off of this case!"

"You were never on this case to begin with," Chief Bogo stated firmly. "You're too close to this, Wilde."

"That has never stopped us before! She's my partner!"

"She's also your girlfriend, which is a conflict of interest! You're going nowhere near this case, and that's final!"

The Chief held up a hoof and silenced a fired-up Nick before walking away. Nick stared off after the cape buffalo as he strode away down the driveway, giving orders to passing officers as he went. Ears pressed firmly to his head, Nick could do nothing but stand there, wondering what he was supposed to do next.

"Where are you, Carrots?" he thought aloud, muttering under his breath. "Please, just be safe."


	65. Chapter 65

"Get up, rabbit."

A wave of ice water washed over Judy, soaking her night clothes and her fur, forcing her into consciousness. She sputtered and coughed, shaking the water from her face. Her vision blurry, it was hard to make out her surroundings. She sat in an old wooden chair, her arms and legs tied to the chair accordingly with multiple zip ties that bit into her skin. A bright light above her illuminated a small circle around the chair, revealing the floor below her to be concrete, which was a depressing color of grey. The rest of the room was dark, and Judy couldn't make out any identifying details to her location, but she could make out the figure that stood in front of her.

It was like a scene taken straight out of a horror movie.

A female red fox stood before her, her paws on her hips and her head slightly tilted in curiosity. Dressed in a dark grey t-shirt that was tucked into navy-blue jeans, the fox's curves were immediately noticeable and clearly seductive. Her light blue eyes were sharp, focused on Judy's every movement. A smirk on her face, the fox let out a laugh that sounded like pure danger.

"Good morning, Sweetie," she purred in a silky voice.

"Valerie," Judy fixed the vixen with a deadly glare, despite being surprised at seeing her. "It's so good to see you again."

"Likewise," the fox smiled. "I've waited a long time for this, Darling."

Judy inhaled slowly, now feeling calm and almost secure. She relaxed her muscles and continued to stare the fox down with a hateful gaze.

Valerie, an ex-girlfriend and ex-partner of Nick's, didn't exactly pose a major threat to Judy. The last time Judy and Valerie had interacted, it had been almost three years prior, when Judy had been just about three months pregnant and her and Nick were still living in his first apartment. Long before Judy came into the picture, Valerie had been a scam artist with Nick for quite some time. The two had dated, a hot and heavy relationship for both of them, but Valerie proved she couldn't be trusted, lying to Nick and scamming him in the end – a story Judy still didn't know completely as it was a touchy subject for Nick. The two parted ways, resulting in Nick's scamming relationship with Finnick, a fennec fox and now long-term friend of Nick and Judy's. The rest was history – Judy and Nick met, saved the predator population, became partners, lived through a number of traumas, began living together, had children, and purchased a home together. However, Valerie had come back into the picture a few months after Judy and Nick had discovered they were expecting children. Valerie had been working for the ZPD for only a few months and was nothing more than a low-level officer, but when Judy was placed on desk-duty due to her progressing pregnancy for safety concerns, Nick was assigned a new field partner – Valerie. Valerie's reappearance drove a wedge between an anxious Nick and an emotional Judy, all while fueling her own ego. Judy and Nick's fighting (which used her to play sides) eventually resulted in Valerie quitting her short-lived career, thus bringing a quick and violent feud to an abrupt end. The couple hadn't heard anything of Valerie in years, and never gave her much of a second thought.

"I'm impressed, Valerie. I didn't think you were strong enough to kidnap me," Judy scoffed.

"Oh, I didn't," Valerie grinned. "He did."

A paw displaying sharp claws gripped Judy's throat from behind, causing her to gasp out for air in surprise. A low growl reached Judy's ears as the grip around her throat tightened.

"This is Culpeo. We'll call him an assistant of mine."

The purr with which Valerie stated "assistant" clearly showed that he was much more than that. Culpeo's grip on Judy loosened and he stepped out from behind the chair and into his rightful place next to Valerie. Culpeo was a fox of light sand color with distinct scars that marked his arms, neck, and face as if he had spent his whole life fighting. He looked reckless and vicious, a true force to be reckoned with. It was clear that this was the animal responsible for Judy's disappearance and bloodied face, which still stung.

"Without him, none of this would be possible," Valerie beamed.

"And what exactly would 'this' be?" Judy asked.

"Revenge," Valerie hissed vehemently, startling Judy slightly. "And a method to tie up loose ends."

Valerie glanced at Culpeo and nodded, at which Culpeo growled delightedly. Within seconds, he was in Judy's personal space. Without hesitation, he drew his claws, and slowly dug into Judy's right cheek, leaving long gashes across her face as he did so. Judy shrieked and attempted to pull back, but with no success. It wasn't until she could feel the blood trickling down her face that Culpeo retreated back to Valerie, who looked smugly satisfied.

"What do you want from me?" Judy gasped, choking back a sob.

"I want to hear you beg for your life," Valerie growled, as Culpeo began to circle Judy like a predator ready to finish its prey.

The bunny felt her heart skip with worry as she watched the situation play out before her. While Judy didn't view Valerie as a threat, Culpeo was a completely different story. His violent personality paired with Valerie's manipulation terrified Judy.

"You don't have to do this," Judy whimpered.

"Oh, I know, but _I want to_. All of this work will pay off when I get to see the look on that fox's face after he sees what I've done to you, Darling."

"Please, don't hurt him."

"How valiant of you, little bunny!" Culpeo mocked, confidence dripping from every word. "But we don't even have to touch him to inflict the amount of pain we wish to, we just need you, and once I'm done with you… well, let's just say you won't have to see his pain for very long, if you do at all."

Culpeo's threats sent shivers through Judy's small body.

"It's a shame, though," Valerie chimed in. "I must admit; I hate to leave four children without a mother and nothing but a shell of a father."

Judy let out as a sob and looked away, trying to maintain her feelings at an even level as much as possible, but the mention of her children left a gaping hole in her chest.

"Oh, did I hit a soft spot, Sweetie?" the vixen jeered. "I'm merely preparing you for the inevitable."

"Very noble of you," Judy shot back, but Valerie only smiled and Culpeo continued to laugh and circle her.

"You have a lot of fight in you, and I admire that, but the ability to fight only gets one so far," Valerie jeered.

With a snarl, the male fox struck again, slashing at Judy with deadly claws. Judy's shriek filled the room and fresh blood soaked her shirt on her left side, just above her hip. Her vision blurred with the pain, but she forced herself to remain conscious and face the situation once more.

"Judy, Darling, we're just getting started. I've waited years for this. I've watched your every move – watched you buy that ugly home of yours, watched you bring those abominations you call children into this world, I even watched Nicky drop down on one knee and pop the question."

With each insult, Valerie made her way closer to Judy until she had rested her paws on the arms of the chair and was only inches from Judy's face.

"You know," she drawled. "I still don't understand what he sees in you – a weak, frail bunny. You're just prey, nothing more, and when I'm finished, Nick will finally realize that. He'll finally understand that he should be marrying someone powerful and intimidating, someone who can _provide _for him."

The vixen swung her tail seductively, a smile forming on her lips.

"I think Nick is already doing that," Judy spat back.

"Oh, really? Do you think Nick is already on his way to save his damsel in distress, to be your knight in shining armor? Then, what? After he saves you, he's going to sweep you off your feet, marry you, and you two are going to live happily ever after?"

Judy only glared back in response, biting her tongue from spitting out all of the colorful things she really wanted to say. Valerie only continued to smile slyly, her expression angering every inch of Judy. Valerie leaned in closer until her muzzle was only centimeters from Judy's left ear.

"See, Sweetie, I don't think so. You want to know why?"

Judy grit her teeth and closed her eyes, struggling against her restraints as Valerie let out a laugh of pure silk.

"It's because he's not as loyal as you thought," Valerie toyed.

Judy's eyes flew open, and she continued to grit her teeth until her jaw ached. Valerie pulled back slightly to look into Judy's eyes once more.

"Oh, did he not tell you? That's _too _good!" the female laughed as she threw a seductive glance in Culpeo's direction, who stood silently nearby, ready to strike when ordered.

"Judy, Honey, he's been sleeping with me since the last time I saw you."

Her words hit Judy like a bullet to the heart. Judy wanted to scream at her, to call her a desperate liar, but she remained as still as stone. However, Valerie didn't need a reaction to satisfy her, she knew the damage had been done. Valerie then stepped away and sauntered out of the only illuminated part of the room.

"She's all yours," the vixen called to Culpeo as she swayed out of sight.

Judy barely had time to flinch as Culpeo descended upon her.


	66. Chapter 66

"Nicholas, just take a moment and breathe. Yelling isn't going to get anyone anywhere."

Nick was on his umpteenth pace across the same fifteen feet of carpet in his mother's cozy living room. Mrs. Wilde sat comfortably on her creaky, patched couch, a periwinkle dress flowing around her figure. Little Alan was perched in her lap, immersed in the latest edition of _Medieval Scandinavia: An Encyclopedia _– he couldn't read just yet, but he certainly enjoyed the pictures and seemed to understand the majority of the book. Robin and Red were nearby, screaming gleefully about "piwates" as they chased each other about with foam swords Mrs. Wilde had gotten them last Christmas. Violet merely sat idly by on the floor, watching Nick pace and rant, her eyes wide and attentive.

It had been weeks – three weeks to be exact – since Judy had disappeared. With no immediate threats, the escorts had been removed from Bunnyburrow and Mrs. Wilde's home a few days prior, and Nick had returned home with the kids. It was a cold Saturday afternoon in early December, snow swirling just outside the frosted windows. Nick had been working less and less over the last few weeks due to the fact that he and his mother were the only ones watching the children, and because he was allowed to do less and less to help as the ZPD's attention remained on the priority of finding Judy. Nick had already pushed his luck several times, resulting in more than a few lectures from the Chief who threatened more than just suspension. With nothing else to do, Nick surprisingly kept wedding planning on the table. He had postponed a few things for Judy, but had attempted to make decisions where he could so that at least some progress was made. He had decided on the flowers, the design of the cake, and the champagne choice – all things that Judy had decided beforehand but never had stated to their wedding planner. It certainly wasn't easy, but he knew it was helping him cope in some senses.

"All I'm saying is that they should have been making some progress by now! What are they even doing?" Nick scoffed, continuing his pacing.

"Nicholas, they're doing everything they can."

"As if I haven't heard that a dozen times already."

Mrs. Wilde shot Nick a dirty look at his rude remark, but Nick only shook his head in response.

"Daddy?"

Nick immediately stopped pacing and looked down at his only daughter.

"Yes, Baby?"

"Where's Mommy?"

Nick leaned over and scooped up the tiny rabbit, cuddling her in his arms.

"She'll be home soon, Baby, okay?"

He bombarded the baby with several kisses to her face and arms, making her giggle. Nick smiled back at the cheerful child, holding her closer as he turned back to his mother to say one more thing, but the sound of glass shattering made both Nick and his mother look up abruptly.

"Red, Robin, what did I say about being careful?" Nick asked the two children sternly.

"He did it!" the two screeched in unison as they pointed at one another, at which Nick only chuckled.

"Just come over here and stay away from whatever you just broke."

The two children obeyed, coming into the living room where they were in full view before they continued their game of swash-buckling pirates. Mrs. Wilde only watched in amusement, slightly readjusting herself with Alan. Nick glanced at the small fox, who was still absorbed by his book.

Nick had struggled to maintain the children in Judy's absence and had struggled even more any time they wondered where she was aloud, but he had managed. His relationship with Alan, however, was only growing more and more distant with each passing day. Alan had always been an extremely intelligent child, but also very quiet, almost socially anxious. There was something about Judy's smile that brought Alan out of his shell, but Nick didn't have that something, and Alan had been extremely quiet and cold for several weeks. It was clear that Judy's disappearance was weighing on him the most, and Nick had no way to comfort him. The closest thing to Judy that Nick could find in order to comfort Alan was Mrs. Wilde, but even then, it was clear she didn't provide the same sense of security, though she tried.

"Alan?" Nick called softly.

The light grey fox looked up, his green eyes meeting Nick's.

"Can I get you anything, Buddy?"

The fox only shook his head and turned back to his reading. With a small sigh, Nick turned back to his mother once more as he sat Violet on his left hip, still cradling her close to his body.

"Judy's parents are coming in tomorrow to stay with us for a little while. That should give me a chance to work a little more and give you a bit of a break from all of this," he said as he gestured to the children.

After Judy had been missing for several days, Nick had made a trip to Bunnyburrow and informed Judy's family of the situation. It went about as poorly as he had expected, with the whole family taking it hard, and at one point, Judy's mother even somewhat accusing Nick in her anger. Nick had brushed it off, though, and comforted the family. After all, they deserved to be angry – it had taken Nick days to work up the courage to tell them that one of their eldest daughters was missing, and even when he did, he had no answers for any of their questions. In return, the family offered to be of assistance when they could, to which Nick was grateful for.

"I don't ever need a break from my grandchildren," Mrs. Wilde smiled. "I'm happy to help where I'm needed."

"Thanks, Mom."

"They'll find her, Nicholas. She'll be home soon."

"I hope so."

After a few more hours at Mrs. Wilde's home, Nick loaded the children into the SUV and drove them home. Once home, he fed them dinner – homemade chicken soup with crackers; extra chicken for Red and no chicken for Violet – and then set them all up in the master bedroom with a movie. Gradually, Nick had moved all of the children – and Violet's favorite stuffed bunny, Holland – into the master bedroom with him to fill the empty space. The children didn't seem to mind, and in fact, quite enjoyed sleeping with Daddy on the king size bed.

About an hour later, before the movie was even halfway over, all four children were sleeping soundly. Clicking off the television and leaving a lamp on as a nightlight, Nick snuck down to the kitchen to clean up, shutting the bedroom door behind him.

Doing dishes wasn't Nick's favorite chore, but with a little music and some terrible dancing, Nick found that he was actually enjoying himself as the kitchen returned back to its former glory. He tried to not think of Judy during this time, tried to focus on small tasks that he knew he had power over. It did help for some time, as Nick found that for the first time in a while, he didn't feel downright exhausted or helpless.

Just as he was finishing up, his cellphone vibrated in his pocket. In response, Nick quickly dried his paws with a dish rag and scrambled to extract his phone from the pocket of his khaki pants. The phone continued to buzz, an unknown number dominating the glowing screen. Curiosity getting the best of him, Nick swiped to accept the call.

"This is Wilde."

"Nick?"

The voice over the phone was small and broken, barely audible – yet filled with desperation – and it caught Nick completely off guard; he almost dropped his phone right into the sink filled with soapy water that sat before him. It had been weeks since he had heard that voice, the voice that he associated with nothing but happiness. Now, the voice sent sharp shivers up his spine.

"Carrots?"


	67. Chapter 67

"Carrots?"

"Nick," Judy sighed in relief. "I didn't think you'd pick up."

Nick immediately noticed her voice sounded off. It was much weaker than Judy's usually commandeering voice, but there was also a thickness to it, as if she were sick or even losing her voice altogether. It continued to shake Nick to the core. What had happened to her?

"Judy, tell me where you are."

Nick put the call on speaker, and immediately went to work pulling up Chief Bogo's cellphone number. He quickly texted the unknown caller's number to the Chief, along with a quick message asking for a location on the number as soon as possible.

"I–I can't tell you, Nick."

"Okay, do you know where you are?"

As he spoke, Nick placed a call to the Chief's desk line, hoping the cape buffalo was still miraculously in the office. He then put that number on mute as he did so, and waited until he saw that the two calls were connected. A response message from the Chief's personal number a moment later proved that the call was currently being traced and recorded from the Chief's office at the ZPD.

"No. I don't have long to talk, Nick."

Relieved that the work was done and that the Chief apparently never went home, Nick put the phone back to his ear, focusing on Judy's voice.

"Tell me what you see, Carrots. Try to help me find you."

"I can't."

Nick's brows furrowed.

"Are you alone?"

"N-no," Judy's voice shook, nearing a sob.

Nick swallowed hard, letting the anger rise in his body like bile.

"Who's there with you?"

"I–I can't say," Judy inhaled deeply over the phone, hesitation clear. "Nick, I have a message for you,"

"Carrots, help me out here, give me something. I know you can give me something."

"There's an abandoned warehouse in Tundratown, on Sleet Drive. There's something there for you."

"Okay, I'll be there, Judy, I'll be there."

Judy took another sharp yet shaky breath over the phone, and then rushed into her next sentence as fast as possible.

"It's her, Nick," she cried quickly. "It's Valerie, she's trying to get to you, Nick, it's Valer–"

A loud growl sounded over the speaker into Nick's ear, then a sharp cry of pain that could only have come from Judy.

"Carrots?"

With that, the call disconnected. Nick stood in stunned silence for what felt like an eternity.

How was this possible? How was any of this even remotely possible?

Pulling himself together, Nick unmuted the call connected to the Chief's desk line.

"Wilde? You there, Wilde?"

"I'm going to that warehouse," Nick said, his body shaking. "I don't care who you send with me, or even if you send anyone at all, but I'm going."

Nick's voice was barely above a whisper, but it stood firm. The Chief stayed quiet for quite some time before his gruff voice came over the speaker once more.

"Done. I'll meet you there."

Seconds later, Nick was hurriedly pounding on the front door of a small auburn-colored house just down the street from the Wilde Home. A very bewildered elderly goat opened the door in a fluffed white robe.

"Mrs. Boer," Nick began in stressed tones. "I understand you don't agree with my interspecies family, or whatever you want to call it, but I have a work emergency and I have four sleeping children at home and nowhere to take them in the short amount of time I have. I will pay you whatever amount you wish – hell, we'll even move out of the neighborhood if that's what you want – but I'm begging you to come to my home and watch my kids for an hour – tops! Then, I will never bother you again."

Mrs. Boer stood in utter shock, her mouth slightly ajar and sleep still stinging her eyes. Then, after a few moments of stunned silence in which she only stared absentmindedly at a very ruffled fox, she glanced down the street toward the Wilde Home before she wrapped her robe more firmly around herself.

"This work emergency – does it have to do with your missing wife?"

The old goat's voice was soft, almost caring. The way she said "wife" wasn't mocking or discriminatory, but rather deeply involved, as if she knew Judy personally. This took Nick aback somewhat.

"Yes," Nick breathed, feeling a breakdown nearing him. "I didn't know you knew."

"I do not know if I agree with your decisions, Mr. Wilde, but I do know that there isn't a day that goes by where I don't miss my late husband," the goat sighed, weariness showing in her features. "If he were missing, I'd be standing in your exact place. Show me to the children, do not worry about fees."

Exactly six minutes later, after thanking a surprisingly pleasant Mrs. Boer, Nick was running red lights and stop signs in his SUV, police sirens wailing. It was nearing two in the morning, and besides Nick's crashing rampage through Tundratown, all was quiet on such a frigid night. When he reached the warehouse in question, the wheels on the SUV came to a screeching stop. Several ZPD vehicles were already parked outside of the entrance, blaring red and blue lights on, and officers perched with guns in paws. The Chief stood waiting just on the side of the snow-covered street, a bullet-proof vest strapped across his large chest. Nick, leaving the driver's side door open, jumped out of the SUV, gun already pulled. Pushing past the Chief and the bullet-proof vest his hoof offered, Nick quickly made his way up to the entrance of the warehouse. Before he entered, he glanced back, noting the Chief following close behind as back-up and several other officers all watching with trained eyes and guns.

"Let's do this," he grunted to himself.

Then, with one swift motion, Nick kicked in the large industrial doors with a loud bang.

Nick, the Chief, and approximately six officers swept the building in seconds. The warehouse was dark and empty with the exception of a wooden chair illuminated by a single bright light bulb near the center of the room. The room was deemed clear of all threats, and with lowered guns, the officers moved closer to investigate the center of the room with Nick at the forefront of the group.

The scene came into view and Nick's stomach turned at the sight.

The chair, and the floor around it, was covered in smears of dark blood – some old, some fresh. Several clipped opaque zip ties littered the floor, traces of blood staining the white. The scene was something straight out of a horror movie, straight out of Nick's worst nightmares. The amount of blood in such a small amount of space sunk Nick's heart as he realized that DNA tests would only confirm that every drop spilled belonged to Judy and no one else. This is where Judy had been for weeks, suffering through who knows what Valerie had put her through. At the thought of Valerie, Nick felt a growl rack his chest. It was because of her that Judy wasn't at home in a warm bed, cuddling her children. It was because of her that Judy was missing at least an ounce of blood, if not more – at least one-fourth of her total blood volume. It was because of her that Judy was still missing, and that Nick was still left with nowhere to turn.

As Nick came closer, trying to keep his breathing even through his rising anger, a glimmer on the chair caught his eye, distracting him momentarily. In the center of the chair sat an eye-catching object that Nick was all too well acquainted with: Judy's engagement ring, the diamonds and band dirtied with blood.


	68. Chapter 68

"_Gah_!"

"Would you stop your screaming? You're so _loud_."

Judy took a deep breath and looked into the sandy fox's eyes.

"Screw… you…" she muttered.

The fox only laughed, his teeth sparkling a deadly white, just a little too close for comfort.

"That's enough, Culpeo. I think you've done enough work with your claws for one day," Valerie purred from a nearby armchair she was comfortably draped over, her tail swishing the floor lazily.

The male fox immediately backed off at the command and perched on a nearby oak desk, leaving Judy to attempt to evaluate his latest work: several long gashes on her left side from just beneath her chin to the base of her neck.

"Don't worry about all of the blood, we'll clean it up," Valerie smirked as she watched the rabbit turn her attention from the wounds to the vixen.

"I'll try not to," the rabbit grumbled.

As horrific as it sounded, Judy had never been one to be deterred or sickened at the sight of blood, not even her own blood. She was an officer, after all, and had aided injured animals, aided an injured Nick, and even aided herself on more than one occasion. She had lost a lot of blood, she could tell from her seemingly permanent exhaustive state, but she still wasn't panicked at the sight of her own wounds or the mess Culpeo left with each inflicted injury. She was also near starving and surely dehydrated, but that didn't panic her either. She knew Nick was coming – it was only a matter of time – and she just needed to hang on long enough. Valerie seemed to pick up on this thought process with ease.

"You seem oddly calm," she drawled.

She sat with a nail file in paw, sharpening her own gleaming claws.

It had been approximately a week since the three had switched addresses from the warehouse to their current location, a week since Judy had spoken to Nick on the phone. She hoped he was okay, that he wasn't letting all of this affect him more than it should and that he would trust Judy's actions, but she knew that he probably wasn't handling the situation well, especially with the kids to look after all by himself. The thought of him alone and constantly looking for her pained Judy more than anything Valerie ordered Culpeo to do. Judy spared a glance at her left paw, her glittering engagement ring no longer present. Her heart ached at the sight, but she couldn't let those emotions show, as it would only fuel Valerie's ego further; if Valerie thought taking the ring meant she was breaking Judy and Nick apart, then Judy was going to prove just the opposite, so she had to pretend as if the ring were just another cheap piece of jewelry.

Judy still had no idea of her current location, but it was apparent that the new hideout was an office building, and an old one by the looks of it. There were several open windows, though, so Judy could actually see quite a bit during the day. They were in a small office located on a higher floor of the building, nothing but wispy clouds outside when the day was sunny. At some point during the day, possibly around noon, Judy could even make out the sound of what she thought was rush hour traffic in the streets below. If she had to take a guess, Judy would say they were somewhere in the outskirts of Downtown Zootopia where a lot of older office buildings had been left behind and forgotten as businesses grew to greater heights and began to converge at the center of the city. This was good, she thought, then her and Nick – and the ZPD, for that matter – were much closer together now.

"I've been through worse," Judy shrugged as she glanced out a nearby window. "I've had my throat practically ripped out, been attacked by animals five times my size, given birth to four kids."

Judy paused to chuckle quietly at her own words.

"Do your worst. Personally, the only thing awful about this situation is listening to you constantly talk."

Valerie looked up, disgust in her eyes, to which Judy met with an equally disdainful look. From across the room, Culpeo growled, but both the bunny and the vixen ignored him, their eyes trained on one another.

"You think you're funny," the female fox hissed, her voice dropping a few octaves in an attempt at intimidation.

"No, but Nick thinks I'm funny."

Another chuckle, this time a little louder, a bold confidence growing. Judy found that she was actually beginning to enjoy herself; if Valerie wanted a fight, she was going to get one.

"Apparently not, if he's so preoccupied with me," Valerie stated with a raised chin.

Judy only rolled her eyes.

"Oh, here we go again. 'Nicky's obsessed with _me_, Sweetie,'" Judy imitated in a sickly-sweet voice.

Valerie's eyes narrowed, and her fur raised on its ends in response.

"Watch it, bunny," she growled.

"Please," Judy scoffed. "Nick is a father of four, he barely has time to sleep anymore, much less sneak off to be with a snake like you. Try another taunt, because that one's not working."

Before Judy had even realized what had happened, she was on the floor facing the ceiling, still tied to a plastic office chair. The rabbit coughed slightly, as the force of falling backwards had knocked the air from her lungs. Valerie stood over her, huffing angrily.

"You think you're better than me?" the fox hissed. "You think you're better than me because you have a nice job, a fancy house, a family, and a predator to save your skin whenever you bite off more than you can chew?"

"Yes, I really do," Judy breathed. "I think you're nothing, _Val_, and I think you know that too. That's why you've got me tied up and hired some fox to beat me up when it amuses you. I think you're living in the past, and I think you need to get over yourself."

Judy didn't even flinch when Valerie lunged forward with a startlingly low growl, her freshly sharpened claws flying to grip Judy's throat; Judy only continued to stare the fox down.

"You took everything from me!" Valerie screeched.

"No, I didn't," Judy snapped back. "You took everything from yourself! You knew what you were doing when you scammed Nick, and you knew what you were doing when you wedged your way into our relationship and then quit the one job that was working out in your favor."

"You used me for your own amusement."

"Only because you were such a joke to begin with," Judy shot back. "You always have to make it about something else; it's never your fault. Now, you're doing it all over again, but this time, you have absolutely nothing to lose."

"But you have everything to lose," the vixen jeered, tightening her grip around Judy's throat with each word.

"My job, my family – they aren't going anywhere. I've got time to spare, Valerie, the question is when are you going to learn you're not winning here?"

"Don't piss me off, rabbit, I _will_ kill you!"

"No, you won't," Judy smirked. "You're waiting for Nick to see me all bloody before you do anything fatal. That's the end game, right? Take me from my home, smack me around, then show Nick the damage? Even then, I doubt you have it in you to kill me. After all, you didn't have it in you to kidnap me or hit me, so what makes you think you can kill me?"

"You think Culpeo's here just to watch, Darling? He'll kill you the second I tell him to!"

"So, that's how this is going to go? Valerie, I'm usually not one to threaten with violence, but the moment I'm untied, you're going to wish you hadn't gotten yourself into this."

"What's a little bunny gonna do to a big bad fox?" the vixen laughed, her voice reaching a hysterical pitch as she did so.

"Wow, I knew you were dumb, but I didn't know I was going to have to spell everything out for you."

That did it.

Valerie pulled a loaded gun from the waistband of her jeans and took aim. Judy, practically staring down the barrel of the gun, remained completely still. Valerie watched and waited for a reaction, for Judy to break down into tears or beg for her life, but when neither one came, she growled loudly and fired the gun twice into the ceiling above. Plaster rained down on the two, and Judy sighed internally, slightly worried she had pushed Valerie further than the fox would allow.

"Culpeo," the vixen called angrily. "Get the phone and text Nicky the address. I'll get the rabbit. We're ending this now."


	69. Chapter 69

"Does the Miranda warning say something about me killing her?"

"No, Wilde, it doesn't."

"You sure? Nothing like, 'you have the right to remain silent or I will shoot you with my gun. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a violent method of retaliation–'"

"_No_, Wilde," the Chief growled.

At this, Nick actually found himself snickering. He was finally going to finish this and take Judy home, which made him feel overjoyed, even deadly. The two were standing outside the abandoned office building on 34th Street in Downtown Zootopia, the address of which Nick had received a little under an hour ago from the same unknown number. It was still early in the day, the sun shining bright just before noon, a cold breeze in the air. Nick stood loading and reloading his gun – this one lethal with actual bullets, not a tranquilizer dart in sight. In fact, there wasn't a tranquilizer gun in anyone's paws or holsters as Nick glanced around at the ZPD's strongest officers; Chief Bogo had really spared no expense on this mission. Each and every animal standing outside of that building was heavily armed with not only lethal ammunition, but also a strong bond with and respect for the rabbit they were here to take home. Nick couldn't help but grin at that thought.

"Alright, circle up!" the Chief called as he laid out a blueprint of the building on the hood of his vehicle. "Delgato, Johnson, Snarlov, McHorn: take the east entrance. Wolfard, Fangmeyer, Pennington, Grizzoli: take the back. Rhinowitz, Jackson, Oates, Charles: stay here and cover base if anything goes wrong. The rest of us will take the main entrance. Stay close to each other, and no mistakes here today. Wilde, don't do anything stupid and I'll let you lead with me – oh, and Wilde?"

"Yes, Chief?"

"When we get Hopps, let's try to keep her out of trouble for good, shall we? I think this one's been through enough. I'm not trying to lose my best officer any time soon."

"Yes, sir," Nick chuckled.

"You got the ring, Wilde?" Officer Wolfard, a timber wolf and good friend of Nick and Judy's, asked. In response, a smirking Nick patted the left breast of his bullet-proof vest, where Judy's engagement ring sat nestled in his button-up Hawaiian shirt's pocket just beneath the vest.

"Good, you get that on her and marry her before she gets kidnapped again, yeah?" Wolfard chortled as he clapped Nick on the shoulder and all of the nearby officers joined in laughing.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Nick laughed.

"Let's move!" the Chief called out.

At the command, the massive group split into their sections and began progressing toward their assigned locations. Chief Bogo and Nick led Team A, which entered the building through the main entrance, Delgato led Team B on the east side, Wolfard led Team C through the back, and Rhinowitz remained at base with Team D. The entire operation wasn't expected to take more than twenty to thirty minutes, even if there was an emergency. An ambulance and paramedics were on standby with Team D mainly for Judy, but also for the off chance someone was injured. There were three main parts to the operation: infiltrate the building in a manner as low-profile as possible, take the suspect – Valerie – into custody or either take down by force, and extract the target – Judy. The building in question was large, but Nick had a feeling it wouldn't take long to find who they were looking for, as Valerie had invited them, and he knew she loved a good show.

Since Judy had identified that their main suspect was Valerie, the ZPD had done quite a bit of digging into her personality and her past, which involved Nick in more ways than one. Though there were some somewhat awkward words exchanged between Nick and the Chief, Nick disclosed everything he knew about the vixen. However, since Valerie had worked in the ZPD (something which the Chief did attempt to apologize for), there was no telling how much the fox knew about the department and its employees, even if she had only worked as a low-level officer for a couple of months. The officers could potentially be walking into a very bad situation, but Nick remained firm on the fact the officers easily outnumbered Valerie, no matter what she knew.

Nick was the first one to reach the glass revolving doors of the building, the Chief and the rest of Team A just on his heels. They went in pairs through the doors and began to spread across the lobby on the first floor. They didn't need to go far, though.

"I think that's far enough," Valerie called in a fruity voice as she stepped out carefully from a nearby hallway, which Nick believed led to one of the building's many staircases.

"_Freeze_!" Nick, the Chief, and a few other officers immediately hollered, as they quickly took aim at the moving fox.

The vixen only smiled as she pushed a small figure in front of her path. Judy stumbled forward, struggling to walk upright, a bad limp crippling her momentarily. The officers hesitated, refusing to fire with Judy in the way. Valerie kept a firm grasp on the rabbit's right arm and a gun aimed at her head until the two made it to the center of the lobby.

"Kneel," Valerie commanded as she shoved Judy to the linoleum ground, gun still threatening her.

Every officer was focused on the threat in the room, but Nick had his eyes somewhere else.

There she was.

First, relief flooded Nick's body and mind at the sight of the figure who sat slumped on the aged floor, but it was quickly replaced by an intense wave of nausea at the sight of the bunny's condition. There were large rips in her black t-shirt, blood staining her pink athletic shorts and matting her fur. In some places, the red was so dark that it was nearly impossible to make out Judy's light grey fur through the black. She looked broken, bloody, and bruised, but she still managed to sit with an unwavering strength.

Nick couldn't put the happiness he felt into words; the sight of Judy alive was overwhelming, but he also felt his anger rising once more, threatening to spill over like a boiling kettle left unattended. Both foxes looked up and made direct eye contact; it was clear Valerie was enjoying every second of the ordeal.

"You can come on out, I'm not gonna bite," Valerie called loudly, her words honeyed.

From a hallway off to the right, Team B emerged with a hesitant Delgato at the head. A few seconds later, Team C appeared from a third hallway just off to the side of the lobby, hidden by designer pillars made of marble that had crumbled with the passing years. With every officer's eyes and gun trained on Valerie, she finally had the attention she wanted, and her leer showed it.

Nick holstered his gun and took a single step forward.

"Put down the gun," he called, his voice echoing off of the lobby's walls.

"Nicky, it's _so _good to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same."

Another step forward.

Valerie's smile faltered slightly, but she kept the charade going.

"Oh, you've always been such a charmer, Nicky. That must be why this darling rabbit loves you so," Valerie spat with venom, each syllable dripping with danger. "But don't worry, Honey, I've taken good care of her while she's been away."

"Nick," Judy called out weakly, comfort in her tiny voice at the sight of him.

"It's okay, Carrots, I'm right here."

Another step.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you," Judy said with a small smile, which Nick returned.

"Trust me, Carrots, I think I do."

With his words, Nick took another step, but it was one too far for Valerie.

"Don't take another step, Nicky."

Nick froze and held up his paws in defense.

"Alright, I'm not moving any further. Let's talk this through, Valerie."

"Yes, _let_'_s_. Let's talk about how satisfying it was to inflict all of this pain," Valerie sang with joy as she gestured to Judy and her apparent injuries. "Or let's talk about how satisfying it was to inflict all of this pain when you could do nothing to stop me. You did such a wonderful job of protecting your – now, what do you call her? It's not 'wife,' I know that. Still have commitment issues, I see."

Nick felt his eyebrows raise at the taunt, but before he could return the snide remark, Judy beat him to it.

"The double standards in this room are unbelievable considering Valerie here hasn't laid a paw on me and she's the one with the commitment issues. You should talk to her new boyfriend, Nick, he's a real keeper."

"Shut up, bunny!" Valerie yelled, forcing the gun closer to Judy's head.

"Hey, hey, let's be rational here, Valerie," Nick stated gently, trying to keep Valerie's attention on him. "There are more than a dozen armed cops in here, and just one you, so let's not do anything stupid."

"Oh, that's a riot, coming from you, Nicky," Valerie's voice turned to ice, her stare just as cold. "Don't start acting like you care about me."

"Not what I was doing," Nick said with a shake of his head. "But you've always had selective hearing, Valerie."

The vixen's ears flattened against her head, and a low growl escaped from her throat. Nick decided to detract attention from her for just a moment.

"Carrots, who's the new guy?"

Valerie's eyes flashed with rage.

"Don't say a word," she hissed down at Judy.

The threat clearly wasn't enough to stop an ambitious little bunny.

"Culpeo. He's a fox who has quiet the fetish for torture. Case and point," Judy nodded down as a gesture to her wounds. "I wish I could tell you where he is right now, but I can tell you he's not far. He sticks to Queen Bee here like he'd die if he went three minutes without an order from her."

Valerie only growled in response, her attention momentarily focused on Judy. Nick took advantage of that, nodding to Delgato and Wolfard, who both immediately snuck back down their respective hallways to alert Team D of Culpeo's nearby presence. It wouldn't be long before the sandy fox was found and taken into custody.

"Never mind that," Valerie stated, shifting her harsh words to flirtatious ones as she turned back to Nick. "Culpeo is nothing more than an assistant. I'd take you over him any day, Nicky, Baby."

Midway through her sentence, though, Nick had become distracted as Fangmeyer had slightly lowered his gun, a confused expression on the tiger's face as his attention remained focused on Judy's back. In not paying attention fully, Nick made a fatal mistake, as Valerie immediately noticed.

The female fox's eyes narrowed as she followed Nick's line of sight, briefly glancing over her shoulder at Fangmeyer, then down toward Judy. As she turned to fully face Judy, a barely audible snap was heard throughout the silent lobby. Leaving the zip tie that had been bounding her paws on the floor behind her, Judy stood up and in one swift motion, struck Valerie in the face with one paw and disarmed her with the other. Valerie stumbled backwards and Judy immediately took aim.

"Stay where you are," the small rabbit stated in a penetratingly loud voice.

She then turned her gaze to Nick, a paw outstretched.

"Cuffs," she demanded.

Nick immediately removed his handcuffs from his belt and tossed them upward in an arch. Catching them with ease, Judy circled around Valerie, who was bleeding significantly from the nose, and firmly kicked her to the ground.

"You have the right to remain silent," Judy began as she latched the handcuffs onto the fox. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning."

Finishing her required lines, Judy lifted Valerie up slightly by the back of her shirt so that the two were close once more. Smirking at an amazed Nick and the astounded officers standing idly by, guns half raised, Judy leaned in to say one final thing.

"You're going to prison for a very, very, _very_ long time, bitch."

With a smug smile, Judy dropped the shocked and bloodied fox back on the floor and gestured to the officers.

"Get her out of my sight."


	70. Chapter 70

"That was just about the coolest thing I've ever seen you do. I take back every time I ever made fun of you."

"Shut up and hug me," Judy laughed as she pulled Nick toward her.

As Nick embraced the tiny, injured bunny, he watched Officer Grizzoli (with other officers following close behind) pull an incredibly bitter Valerie to her feet and lead her out into the daylight, where she would be shoved into the back of a police vehicle. The Chief meandered up to the couple and clapped Nick on the back with a little more strength than what was necessary.

"Good to have you back, Hopps," the cape buffalo stated in a rough voice before he turned back toward the door.

In the following moments, several more officers walked by and slightly hugged or patted Nick and Judy, congratulating them or giving out words of gratefulness for Judy's safety. Though the small gestures of physical contact and remarks were very much appreciated, Judy and Nick only remained embraced, focused on one another until it was only the two of them left in the lobby of the abandoned office building. It was then with a small twinge of regret that Judy and Nick pulled back from the hug to look at one another.

"You look awful," Nick snickered.

"I feel awful," Judy giggled. "Talk about a long day at the office."

"That was a terrible joke, just downright horrible," Nick laughed as he smoothed a small patch of Judy's fur on the side of her face, which she accommodated by leaning her head toward his paw.

"I missed you," she sighed, a content smile on her face.

"Tell me about it," he scoffed. "I think I lost my mind at least four times while you were gone, Fluff."

"Well, it took you long enough."

"Hey, I got here, didn't I?"

"Yes. Yes, you did. Thank you for coming to save me," Judy sighed as she took ahold of Nick's paw and squeezed it lightly.

"I would say 'you're welcome' if I had been the who saved you," Nick chuckled. "That was some serious bad-ass stuff you just pulled in front of me, Carrots. You were like – '_pow_!' – and then – 'you have the right to remain silent' – I mean, I was _terrified_."

The two burst out in laughter at Nick's imitations.

"Yeah, you laugh now, but that was _your_ ex-girlfriend."

"She's my ex for a reason, though," Nick exhaled with a false pained expression.

"You better not have been sleeping with her while you were with me."

"Yikes, I knew I forgot to tell you something."

"Har-har," Judy mocked. "That's very funny."

"I'm only here for you, Carrots," Nick stated as he began planting kisses on Judy's face, neck, and shoulders. "I even kept up the wedding planning. Got you a dress and everything."

"Is it incredibly ugly?"

"Oh, _incredibly_. It's hot pink and everything."

"Hot pink? You shouldn't have!" Judy giggled, to which Nick admitted he was only joking, but that he had kept up a few of the plans when he could.

"How are the kids?" Judy asked.

"Don't worry, I only lost two of them while you were gone."

"Nick, that's not funny," Judy laughed as she punched him lightly in the arm, making Nick laugh with her.

"They're good. They've missed you a lot, Alan especially. It might just be me, but I definitely think he likes you more."

"Well, I am the more likeable one out of the two of us."

"Our friends would disagree," Nick said in a sing-song voice, making Judy laugh loudly to the point where she nearly snorted.

Her laughter was cut short, however, when she inhaled sharply and clutched her side in obvious pain. Nick's smile disappeared.

"Alright, Carrots, let's get you to a hospital," he said softly as he gently scooped Judy up into his arms.

Once in the ambulance and in the paws of several paramedics, Judy was strapped to a gurney and bandages were temporarily applied to her more serious injuries. Nick thanked the Chief and the other officers before he boarded the ambulance with Judy, and the two were on their way to the Hospital of Zootopia. The entire ride to the hospital, Nick held Judy's paw, and barely took his eyes off of her. He loved how the two of them just continued chatting as if everything that just happened never actually happened, even though the feelings this ordeal had created would surely stay with both of them for some time. On the ride, Nick texted his mother and Judy's parents – the latter of which were currently watching over Robin, Red, Alan, and Violet – to let them know of Judy's safety and their current journey to the hospital where the family was more than welcome to meet them.

Once at the hospital, Judy was quickly taken to the Immediate Care Unit. Nick made his way to the waiting room, where he met with his mother, Judy's parents, and the children. It didn't take long for practically the entire ZPD police force to also arrive, making the waiting room just as packed and eventful as almost two years before after Judy had just delivered four tiny babies. It was in the waiting room that Nick received news that Culpeo had been found on one of the upper floors of the abandoned office building doing something as stupid as attempting to scrub blood from the carpet, and that he been taken into custody with Valerie. With that news, the group of animals decided that a celebration was definitely in order. When the group was fairly sure no doctors or nurses were around to scold, several champagne bottles were snuck in, opened, and passed around to fill small Styrofoam cups stolen from a nearby attendants' lounge.

They then had to quickly hide all of the paraphernalia almost fifteen minutes later when Judy's doctor came in to notify them of her condition. Nick was pretty sure that the doctor saw at least a glimpse of the champagne going around before they hid everything and most definitely smiled a little, but refrained from saying anything, which the fox was grateful for.

According to the doctor, Judy was going to be fine and recover nicely, but she would be in more than just a little bit of pain for several weeks, and the recovery journey certainly wouldn't be easy on top of all of that. The list of injuries and problems was also quite dizzying: several cuts and scratches all over her body that required more than a dozen stitches each, three broken ribs, major blood loss that resulted in a transfusion, severe dehydration, extreme malnutrition, sleep deprivation, and an ankle broken in two places. The doctor also heavily suggested therapy for Judy following the traumatic ordeal.

As the doctor spoke about the need for lots of bed rest, fluids, and a diet plan that basically allowed Judy whatever she wanted whenever she wanted it, Nick was only half listening. The important things rang clear in his ears, but he also couldn't help but drift into thought over how strong Judy had been. This was something that Judy had never been trained to deal with physically or mentally, yet the bunny had not only persevered, but also still had her wits, sass, and optimism about her. She had suffered for weeks all because of a fox seeking revenge, all because of Nick, and not once did her ambition or strength falter.

After the doctor finished informing the group, he showed them to Judy, who had been moved from the ICU to the floor of general patients. The door to her room was shut and the shades over the window were drawn. Nick placed his paw on the door handle, hesitated, then removed his paw.

"Come here, kiddos," he beckoned.

He placed Violet on his shoulders, picked Alan up, and held onto Red and Robin as they crowded his feet. Then, with a deep breath and one last reassuring look from his mother standing close by, he opened the door.

"Mommy!"

"Hey!" Judy smiled, tears immediately springing to her eyes as she extended her arms to her children.

Red and Robin were the first to reach her, racing to the bed (which Nick had to help them up onto), then filling her arms and hugging her tightly. Violet was next, easily slipping from Nick's shoulders into her mother's arms, where she received several long kisses. Finally, a quiet Alan was passed from Nick's paws to Judy's. The tiny fox wrapped his arms around Judy's neck and hugged her tightly.

"Missed you," the little fox said softly.

Eyes on a smiling Nick, Judy hugged the baby tighter, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I missed you more," she cried as she turned and kissed his forehead.

Nick chuckled lightly and leaned in, kissing first Alan on the head, then Judy.

"Just so you know," he whispered so that only Judy would hear. "You're being a total baby right now."

Judy scoffed before she broke down into a fit of laughter with Nick.

For the next ten minutes, a lot of crying and hugging took place in that hospital room as Nick stepped aside for Judy's parents, Mrs. Wilde, Chief Bogo, and several other officers. Then, the champagne made its way around the room again, to which Judy promptly said "_Nick_!" in a very exasperated voice.

A few hours later, after Judy's parents had tried to convince Judy she needed to find a safer job and after the Chief had tried to inform Judy she would need therapy before returning to work – both of which were directly shot down by the rabbit – the crowd thinned. With a few final remarks and several toasts, the Chief and the ZPD officers departed, Bonnie and Stu Hopps left to acquire a hotel (they insisted to stay for at least a few more nights), and Mrs. Wilde insisted on taking the four children back to Judy and Nick's home and properly put them to bed after they had fallen asleep on a nearby armchair.

It was quickly nearing eleven, the sky outside a velvety black with very few glimmering stars, and Nick and Judy found they were together and properly alone for the first time in a long time.

"You need to sleep, Carrots," Nick sighed as he sat on the edge of Judy's bed.

In response, she pretended to think about it, then shook her head with a laugh.

"Not happening," she challenged.

"Aren't you tired?"

"Oh, _exhausted_, but being here with you is so much better."

"I'm not going anywhere, trust me," Nick smiled, which Judy returned easily.

"Nick," Judy sighed, her smile faltering. "We have been through a lot."

"We have," Nick nodded.

"But that…that was…" Judy stifled a small sob and looked away. "That was rough."

Nick moved closer and pulled her head to his chest, wrapping his arms around her as she cried.

"I know, Judy, I know."

"I thought I was going to die there all alone, Nick," Judy sobbed loudly. "I thought they were going to kill me, and I was so scared that I would never see you or the kids or my family again."

Nick had never been one to cry often, but that didn't mean he didn't cry at all. He cried when those Junior Ranger Scouts muzzled him once during his childhood, he cried when his father died, he cried when Judy nearly had her throat ripped out by that silver fox years ago, he cried when he and Judy had officially come to terms with being parents, he had cried when Judy agreed to marry him, and he found himself crying now as he listened to Judy express her feelings.

Through sobs that racked her body more than once, she told him everything from the second she woke up that late night and heard a noise downstairs.

She told him how she had tried to fight back, but wasn't strong enough. She told him how she had tried to call for help by making noise any way possible, but it hadn't worked.

She told him how she woke up to a bucket of freezing water, and a cold and dark warehouse. She told him about Valerie's taunts; about Culpeo's claws, and how much pain and fear they inflicted; about how she had lost track of time.

She told him about how one day Valerie shoved a phone in her hand, demanding that she call and give him a message; about how she had given up Valerie's name and Culpeo knocked her out; about how she woke up in a new location without her engagement ring.

She told him how the zip ties hadn't been tight enough when they tied her to a new chair at the new location and how she had managed to get free of the restraints. She told him how she had made it down to the lobby of the building before Culpeo had grabbed her. She told him how she had screamed out as Valerie held her down and Culpeo broke her ankle.

She told him about how she had taunted Valerie; about how she had gotten free earlier that day when sitting on the floor; about how she had forced herself to gain the courage to stand up and fight back.

She talked for almost an hour, Nick listening and holding her when she needed it.

"…and then there you were," she smiled. "There you were."

She hugged him tightly, pressing her face against his shirt.

"Thank you for being there, Nick."

Drying his eyes, Nick stood up.

"Come on," he said, his paw outstretched toward her.

"What are we doing?"

"We're going to dance."

"I can't walk," she snorted.

"Hey, don't sass me, I saw you stand right up on that broken ankle and use it to kick down a fox before you called her a bitch, so I know you can walk," Nick laughed. "Plus, I'll let you stand on my feet."

"I can't dance, Nick, you know that – I suck at dancing. You especially suck at dancing!"

"Quit making excuses and just dance with me."

Looking incredulous, Judy took Nick's paw. Carefully, Nick pulled her from her bed, and brought her to an empty space in the room. He helped her onto his feet, before he pulled out his cellphone, pulled up "The Carrots Mix" in his music playlists, and pressed play, turning up the volume as loud as it would go.

At the first song, Judy laughed and rolled her eyes. Nick tossed his phone onto the bed before sliding his left paw around Judy's waist and his right paw into her left. He then began slowly moving to the music, twirling here and there, careful not to move too quickly and harm Judy.

One song passed, then another, then another.

As the time passed, the two chatted and joked, Judy giggling and Nick smiling.

"Oh, before I forget," Nick grinned as he reached into his shirt pocket. "Ta-da!"

Judy gasped at the sight of the sparkling – now clean – engagement ring.

"You found it! I thought it was gone for sure!"

"Hey, I paid a lot for this, I wasn't going to let somebody just throw it away, Carrots. Here."

Choosing not to mention that the ring had been left behind as a taunt, Nick slipped the ring back onto Judy's paw, watching her eyes glaze over with tears again.

"Stop crying, Carrots, you're going to make me cry."

"What are you talking about, you're already crying!" Judy laughed as Nick leaned her into a dip before kissing her fully on the mouth.

She pulled back slightly, smiling, and wrapped her arms around his neck before she melted back into him, kissing him deeply. After a few lingering moments, the two broke apart, still in each other's arms.

"I love you, Nick."

"I love you too, Darling."


	71. Chapter 71

"This is the _worst _idea you've ever had, Carrots."

"This is the _best _idea I've ever had!"

"You just got out of the hospital, let's try to take things easy."

"I got out weeks ago, I'm done taking it easy!"

"At least let me carry the paint," Nick chuckled as he took two brand new buckets of paint – one red, the other blue – from Judy's paws, and carried them into the house, then through the glass sliding door that led to the backyard.

It was a sunny afternoon in late March, not a cloud in the sky. The grass in the yard was beginning to grow again, patches of brilliant green brightening the yard here and there. Nick placed the paint in the center of the yard, entered the home from the backyard, and then, exited the home out into the front yard. Judy had already climbed into the back of the SUV that was parked in the driveway, and was grabbing certainly more than she could carry.

It had been several weeks since Judy's doctor officially sent the bunny home, though Nick still insisted she needed to take it easy. She had spent almost three weeks in the hospital; her stitches had been removed, she was no longer dehydrated, she was no longer malnourished, she was sleeping normally (though, she had nightmares she didn't like to admit to), and her broken bones were expected to be almost completely healed in another three to four weeks when Nick took her home. Her optimism, however, didn't need practically any time to heal; her massive grin and bouncing positive attitude were apparent as she handed Nick several more buckets of paint.

From day one in the hospital, Judy had been eager to return home and catch up on all that she had missed, but her health was forced to come first. While stuck on bedrest, the rabbit made it her duty to plan out everything she and Nick would do with the kids, as repayment for all that she had missed. This included family meals, game nights, afternoons spent in the nearby park, movie nights, trips to the museum, and so much more.

Judy had been kidnapped near the middle of November, and being gone for over a month, she had missed Thanksgiving and Christmas. She had then spent New Year's, and a good majority of January, in the hospital as she recovered. She was released from the hospital near the beginning of February, happily falling back into her usual lifestyle with Nick and the children immediately, and had then celebrated a quiet Valentine's Day at home. In early March, she had returned to the hospital to have her cast removed from her ankle, the doctor deeming that her broken ribs had healed completely. However, Judy was also told that it would take longer for the ligaments and tendons in her ankle to heal, and she was instructed to continue to take it easy and not put too much pressure on her left leg. She was also told to return to the hospital if the pain bothered her too severally, something she scoffed at.

Now, as the year neared April, you could only tell Judy had been through such a traumatic ordeal if you knew what you were looking for. The scars from the wounds Culpeo's claws inflicted were still quite clear, and most likely would take several years to fade, unfortunately, but they still couldn't put a dent in Judy's unwavering beauty. Besides the scars on her body – predominantly on her arms, neck, and torso – the only other reminder she still carried was a slight limp as her left ankle had yet to regain complete strength.

When the couple had welcomed the New Year with several burdens, Nick had stepped up to the plate easily, aiding where he could when he could. Judy still kept some emotions to herself, which easily worried Nick, but he did his best to help her heal however she deemed fit. His main job was reassurance, as Judy felt her missing for several months had corresponded to a failure in being a perfect mother and wife, which Nick disagreed with. Nick had even returned to work full-time back in late February, while a jealous Judy remained home with the children. Judy herself was only days away from returning to work, even though Chief Bogo still insisted that she not overdo it and that she attend at least one therapy session, as covered by the ZPD. With only a few more days until Judy could return to her definition of "normal," she was practically bursting with excitement, resulting in several wild ideas that she had pitched to Nick so that she could burn off the energy. Hence the SUV filled with buckets of paint.

"Okay, I think we got it all," Judy beamed as she counted the buckets of paint once more.

Nick looked over the large white buckets containing colors of red, blue, green, yellow, pink, white, purple, and orange, that were placed in the center of the backyard. Each bucket had cost them a small fortune each, but Judy had insisted. Together, the couple spread the buckets out so that they were feet apart in the yard, covered the newly stained patio in a plastic tarp that was held down by tape, and removed the lids on the buckets. Once the paint was stirred, Judy entered the house to fetch the children.

"Robin, this is your paintbrush. Violet, take that one," Judy instructed as each child received a small paintbrush.

Each child was wearing old, comfortable clothing that Judy typically dressed them in for crafts. Smiling gleefully as she did so, Judy explained the set-up as Nick stood nearby, fiddling with their radio, which they had dragged out into the yard so that they could have some music while they worked.

Years ago, when Judy and Nick had purchased their home, they had agreed they would paint the fence in the backyard. Long story short, the two had never had the time to actually keep their promise. It was during one late-night conversation that Judy burst out with an idea that Nick thought was clearly mad.

"What if we let the kids paint the fence?" she had said, a smile forming.

"What?"

"You know, let them go crazy with paint on the fence. We can always paint over it later on. It would be so much fun, Nick, just like when we first moved in and painted the rooms!"

There was no talking her out of it.

There they were, the Wilde Family, in old clothes with paintbrushes and buckets of paint on a March afternoon, and from the look on the kids' faces, this was about to be absolute chaos.

"Have at it!" Judy laughed as she unleashed the children after explaining the rules – don't paint the house, don't paint the patio, no eating the paint, etc.

Nick slowly turned the dial on the radio, cranking the volume.

It took seconds for Robin and Red to be absolutely covered in paint.

Nick couldn't help but laugh as the kids screeched in delight, paint all over their tiny hands as they splashed colors all over the fence. As Judy had hoped, Nick eventually picked up a paintbrush and joined in, holding up the children so they could reach the top of the fence when they wished, while he painted too. A little while after that, Judy couldn't help but also take part in the fun.

"Here, Alan, what if we drew pictures from one of your books?" Judy asked the tiny grey fox, which he answered with an energetic nod.

Picking up a paintbrush and sitting down on the grass next to her son, Judy began to work as she chatted with the baby.

"I'm thinking fire-breathing dragons, what about you?" she laughed, intensity on her face as she began painting.

Alan watched in wonder, adding his art when he felt it was needed, and giggling at Judy after she reached over and tickled him when he wasn't looking.

After a few moments, Violet joined the two, bringing with her the idea of painting a carrot field near the dragon, which Alan agreed to enthusiastically. Then, Robin and Red joined the group, cuddling close to Judy and demanding that the dragon be painted so that it was burning down a house.

"That's not happening," Judy giggled as she talked to the two. "Where's Daddy? He would think that's funny–"

Suddenly, a chill shot up Judy's spine as cold wet paint poured down over her head and into her lap, drenching her in brilliant color.

"_Nick_!"

"You look good in orange, Carrots," Nick burst out laughing.

"Oh, you _so _have it coming, Nick!"

Still laughing, Nick tossed the now empty bucket of orange paint to the side and grabbed a giggling Red, pulling him onto his shoulders as he raced away from Judy.

"Go, go, go!" Red shrieked.

Judy laughed and followed with the other three children. Throwing paint at one another as they did so, the family chased each other around the yard until they were painted more than the fence was.

Well, until Judy tripped, that is.

Nick, only inches from her, miraculously turned and caught her just before she fell.

"Déjà vu," the fox chuckled as he leaned in and briefly kissed Judy.

Judy wrapped her arms around his neck as he steadied her on her feet.

"Last time we did that you told me I was beautiful."

"You still are, Carrots."

Judy's face flushed a light pink, a color that was barely visible under the paint that was currently caked into her fur. She gave him a sly smile, the two never breaking eye contact, Nick's green eyes looking into Judy's violet ones.

"I also remember the inspiration for our daughter's name coming from this moment," Nick chuckled as he looked up at the children still chasing each other around the yard, screaming in small voices as they did so.

When Nick turned his head to face Judy, she swiped a paint-drenched paintbrush across his right cheek. Still in each other's arms, the two burst out laughing at one another, Nick shaking his head at Judy's antics.

"Sly bunny," he sighed, watching as Judy's face broke into a grin.

"Dumb fox."


	72. Chapter 72

"Hey, Carrots, you okay?"

"Yes, why?"

"Your foot is thumping."

Judy looked down at her right foot, which was bouncing against the carpeted floor in an extremely rapid fashion. At the sight, the bunny sighed and looked over at Nick, who took her paw reassuringly.

"You don't need to be nervous, Fluff."

"I wouldn't be if we didn't have to do this at all," Judy muttered.

"You know we have to, though. It's the only way you can go back to work. One therapy session, that's all," Nick smiled easily.

Of course, he would think this was easy.

The couple sat on a tan couch with large cushions that sunk in comfortably with their weight. They were seated in a small office, surrounded by large bookcases and several well-cared for plants. The couch they were on sat facing a coffee table made with dark wood and a large desk made of the same material. Behind the desk sat an empty black swivel chair, which had been slightly turned to face the windows that covered the far wall. The view from the small office was astounding, giving a detailed depiction of the bustling city below.

In her anxious state, Judy's eyes scanned the room, examining every detail. There were several books about general psychology and books about the anatomy of the brain for just about every species of animal. The desk was well organized – not a pen or piece of paper out of place. The large desktop computer placed on the desk was dark with the exception of a screensaver gliding lazily across the screen.

Judy and Nick were dressed professionally, Judy in a white blouse and a black pencil skirt with a large necklace around her neck, Nick actually wearing his full police uniform and not just some outfit he had scraped off of the bedroom floor that morning.

It was early, nearly eight in the morning. Judy and Nick had arrived at the Zootopia Police Department's Psychology Evaluation Department (which was located on the top floor of the ZPD) nearly fifteen minutes prior and had been promptly seated in their current location by a friendly lioness secretary. The couple's four children had spent the night at Mrs. Wilde's home, and were completely unaware of the situation, believing that they were just spending quality time with their grandmother.

Judy jumped slightly at the opening of the office door behind her, her thoughts scattering immediately. Both her and Nick turned and immediately stood to greet Itali Wolfard, lead ZPD psychologist and Officer Wolfard's wife of more than a decade. The wolf greeted them with a smile and sweet tones, shaking paws with the couple before insisting they sit back down. The wolf then sat down on a tan armchair that was just off to the side of the couch, a clipboard and pen in paw. She seemed relaxed, completely at ease, almost as much as Nick.

"Is there anything I can get you two?" the wolf asked in a modulated tone.

Both Judy and Nick pleasantly declined.

"So, Officer Hopps – may I call you Judy? You can call me Itali. I understand that both you and Officer Wilde work with my husband."

"Yes, he's a truly extraordinary officer," Judy smiled, her foot still thumping.

"Funny, he says the same thing about you," Itali chuckled.

Her voice was incredibly soothing, and Judy found herself relaxing slightly, but not enough.

"Judy, we're here because your recent trauma has surely left more than physical scars, and here at the ZPD, we just want to ensure you're in wonderful physical, mental, and emotional states before you continue your work. We understand you do quite a bit for the ZPD, and we just want to make sure that you aren't going through all of this by yourself."

Judy nodded, casting a small glance at Nick, who smiled reassuringly, still holding her paw firmly.

"Of course, all of this is completely confidential," Itali continued. "And you stated that you would like Nick to accompany us through this, correct?"

Judy nodded, throwing another small glance in Nick's direction. Itali also nodded and scribbled a quick note on the clipboard in her lap.

"Let's start with a little bit about yourself. I hear you're an amazing officer, but also an amazing mother. How many children do you have?"

"Four," Judy smiled at the thought of her children. "Three boys, one girl."

"Three boys – I know what that's like," Itali chuckled. "How long have you and Nick been partners here at the ZPD?"

"About eight years."

"How would you describe your relationship?"

"Perfect," Judy chuckled, a small blush spreading across her cheeks. "Nick and I have been partners and good friends for a long time now, and it's all been amazing."

Another note on the clipboard.

"Now, Judy," Itali said as she gestured to the clipboard. "It says here that this is not your first traumatic experience, is that correct?"

Judy felt her anxiety rising again, constricting her chest as it did so. Here we go…

"Yes, that's correct."

"You were attacked in an alleyway by a savage fox, which resulted in several surgeries, vocal rehabilitation, and weeks of rest."

Judy's paw instinctively glided over her throat, where several scars from the incident still stuck out against her grey fur. Images of the alley, the savage fox, the blood, and Nick flooded her brain. The ghost of the pain rushed back, Nick's voice from the past filling her ears.

_"It's okay, Carrots. It's going to be okay. I've got you."_

It had been awhile since she had given that incident thought; it had been years ago, after all. Judy closed her eyes and shook the images mentally, focusing back on Itali, who continued to read from the clipboard.

"You were then attacked by polar bears in a warehouse in Tundratown when you were ten weeks pregnant, which led to – let's see – several gashes, severe bruising, a broken humerus, and a broken clavicle."

Judy felt Nick shift slightly next to her. Judy glanced sideways at him, knowing he must be slightly uncomfortable at the mention of the event that had left him with not only gashes and bruises, but a ruptured spleen, three shattered ribs, and a snapped leg. The event, of course, which Judy had caused by being impulsive rather than rational.

"_This is all my fault_."

This was another event that she hadn't given much thought recently.

"You suffered from placenta praevia and required surgery."

_"Get a doctor. She's bleeding… It's okay, Judy. Judy, look at me, it's going to be okay."_

"Your placenta then later ruptured after delivery."

_"Is she going to be okay? Please. Is she going to be okay?"_

"That brings me to the events of this last November, when you were kidnapped and tortured for over a month."

_"Judy, Darling, we're just getting started. I've waited years for this."_

Judy took a deep breath.

"You've really done your research," she said with a forced smile.

Itali replied with an expression of careful kindness.

"Judy, you've been through a lot, and yet, this is the first time you've stepped foot in my office."

"I've learned to manage," the bunny shrugged.

"No, you haven't," Itali stated, her stare focused on Judy. "You have only learned to tolerate for brief periods of time."

Judy remained quiet, now staring at her lap. She felt Nick give her paw a small squeeze, but from the look on his face, it was clear that he agreed with Itali's words. Itali set her clipboard to the side and leaned back in her chair.

"Judy, tell me about your nightmares."

Judy looked up suddenly, eyes meeting Itali's. Itali's eyes were a bright blue, vigilant and piercing; they bore through Judy and her feelings easily. The wolf was reading her like an open book, and Judy didn't like it.

"I d-don't have–"

"I can only help you if you tell me how you're feeling. I can tell you're having nightmares, Judy. You look exhausted, and this exhaustion runs deeper than being a mother of four. You aren't sleeping, and when you do sleep, you don't sleep well."

Judy felt Nick's eyes on her, a concerned look focused on her. His hold on her paw slackened slightly, enough to create a distance. He knew she had been having nightmares, but he didn't think they were occurring every night.

"Yes," Judy breathed. "I have nightmares."

Judy felt her chest tightening slowly, and felt her body closing in on itself.

"What are your nightmares about?" Itali inquired.

Judy blinked, trying to keep her facial expressions and tone even.

"Her," Judy swallowed hard. "Valerie, and sometimes Culpeo."

_"What do you want from me?" _

_"I want to hear you beg for your life."_

"What do you see in your dreams, Judy?"

"I-I see Culpeo and his claws; Valerie c-close to me, whispering her threats. I see the entrance to the abandoned office building and see how close I am to finally going h-home, but it never works."

Judy was practically whispering, practically talking to herself, but she felt as if she were announcing her pain to the world.

_"You think you can run, Judy? I'm going to teach you what happens when you run. Culpeo, break it."_

_"No! Please, don't! Please, don't! I won't run again! Valerie, please, don't–_Ah_!"_

"How does that make you feel?"

"It makes me feel–it m-makes me–" Judy stuttered, shaking her head, not sure what to say.

Shockingly, she found that her anger was beginning to rise with each word that proved difficult.

"Judy, you have to talk to me; that's how we make progress."

"I don't know how it makes me feel, okay?" Judy cried, now on her feet.

Her paws were clenched tightly, and her whole body was shaking. Her face and blood felt hot. Nick look slightly startled, but Itali remained completely composed.

"Judy, I'm going to ask you a few things, and they may be a bit hard to comprehend right now, but I want you to think about them, okay?"

Judy didn't say anything, only continued to watch the wolf, her chest heaving as she stood alone.

"Judy, since you've been home, have you felt inaccurate?"

"What?" Judy breathed, her eyes narrowing.

"Have you felt inaccurate? Have you felt like a lesser wife or a lesser mother?"

Only able to stare in disbelief, Judy attempted to push her burning emotions down as she listened. Itali tilted her head to the side in inquiry.

"Or…" she thought aloud, "Have you considered Valerie to be better than you, or worth more than you? Have you considered Valerie to mean more to Nick than what you mean to him?"

_"I still don't understand what he sees in you – a weak, frail bunny. You're just prey, nothing more, and when I'm finished, Nick will finally realize that."_

Judy's blood boiled, her eyes flashing with deadly anger. She felt Nick reach out and place a paw on her arm, trying to pull her back down to the couch, but she only shook him off impatiently.

"I don't want to talk about this!" Judy scoffed, tears stinging her eyes as she looked wildly from Nick to Itali. "It was one thing to live through it, but now I have to _talk_ about it like it's something I read in a–in a magazine?"

The bunny was livid and flustered.

"No, thank you! I sat in that chair with–with t-that _witch _for a month! Because of her, I saw more of my own blood than I _ever_ should have! Because of h-her, I spent _weeks _in the hospital! Because of her, I _still_ can't walk c-correctly! I had to s-suffer through listening to her talk about revenge and m-my husband – _who couldn't even find me_, by the way! I was left all alone, and now you all want me to keep reliving it! I'm not doing that, I _won_'_t_!"

Leaving behind a still calm Itali and a hurt Nick, Judy stormed out of the room.


	73. Chapter 73

"Carrots, can we talk about this, please? Hey, Carrots, slow down. Carrots, just wait a minute… Hopps! Let's talk through this… I know you're frustrated. Judy!"

After several minutes of jogging to keep up, Nick finally caught up with Judy in the parking lot of the ZPD, grabbing her arm to stop her. Haughtily, Judy turned around to face him, her cheeks flushed a deep red and her eyes holding a hateful look.

"What is there to talk about?" Judy snapped as she pulled free from Nick's grasp.

"Carrots, I know you're angry, and I know this is hard–"

"No, actually, you _don't _know," Judy snapped, rounding on the fox. "Last I checked, _I_ was the one dragged from my home and tortured – not you."

"Carrots," Nick sighed, running a paw over his ears and smoothing them to his head. "I'm your life mate and you're mine, and we talk through these things together. You can't just shut me out. I'm trying to help… the Chief is trying to help, Itali is trying to help."

"Well, you're all doing a smashing job, aren't you?" Judy mocked with a sardonic laugh, turning away angrily again.

Nick caught her arm and pulled her back into the conversation.

"This isn't meant to hurt you, Carrots. You can't just bottle up your emotions."

"Oh, yeah? What about you? You bottle up your emotions! You bottle up your emotions about Valerie, and the Junior Ranger Scouts, and your dad, and the polar bear incident, and–and a million other things!"

Nick's eyebrows furrowed at the mention of the Junior Ranger Scouts and his dad; Judy was digging deep, as she did when she was truly angry, but Nick remained calm.

"I've talked to you about those things."

"Yet I still know nothing about you!"

"You know everything about me, Carrots."

"Really? Why don't you just say out loud that you think the polar bear incident was all my fault? Why don't you talk about how you feel about those Junior Ranger Scouts playing us for months? Why don't you talk about your dad?" Judy sighed, exasperated. "What exactly happened between you and Valerie when you were dating? Why can't we talk about things that bother us, Nick?"

Nick looked away, thinking. He placed his paws on his hips, gently tapping his foot against the pavement as he carefully chose his words.

"Carrots, you're making this conversation about something completely different, making it about multiple things that have nothing to do with the situation" he said, his eyes still averting Judy's.

"Fine, then let's narrow it down," she bit back. "You never told me about Valerie and then she showed up in our lives, and rather than siding with me, you sided with her, and when you didn't need her to spite me anymore, you tossed her aside. Then, years later, she came back and _kidnapped_ me!"

"How was I supposed to know that would happen?" Nick shot back in response, his voice rising. "You can't possibly blame me for this, at least not more than I already do, okay?"

Judy bit her tongue, his last words stinging her heart slightly. She didn't want him to blame himself, but her anger outranked that rational thought. She wanted answers and she would get them.

"I deserve an explanation, Nick! After everything, I deserve answers to my questions!"

"I cheated on her!" Nick yelled. "Is that what you want to hear? I cheated on Valerie, okay?"

Judy took a step back.

"W-what? You did what?"

"I cheated on her, Carrots, with another fox I met months after I started dating her. I made a mistake. It was a long time ago."

"But your mother said–"

"She said that Valerie was all over the place and couldn't be trusted, I know. She said that Valerie scammed me, which isn't wrong, but it isn't completely true either."

Nick looked away again, growing frustrated as the memories bubbled to the surface for the first time in several years.

"I was going to propose to her," he sighed. "She seemed like the one, you know? Then, she started acting funny. She started flirting with other foxes in front of me, waiting for my reaction, as if she wanted me to blow up or go off; she likes a show, likes the drama. I never gave her that reaction, but as time passed, I really started to believe that she was seeing someone else. I should have made sure before I… Look, I wasn't thinking… I cheated on her in retaliation. It was a stupid idea. She found out, told me she hadn't done anything, and I knew I had been completely wrong. She left me… I still saw her around in the scamming game in the years after, and she seemed to enjoy the fact that I couldn't have what I wanted, because I did want her. She–she, well–"

"She toyed with you," Judy finished his sentence quietly, seeing the pieces fall together.

"Yeah," Nick responded bitterly. "She did that for a while too, so when I saw her at the ZPD that one day all those years ago, I was shocked, but it was amusing for me to finally be something that she wanted, but couldn't have."

"'It's called a hustle, Sweetheart,'" Judy mumbled to herself.

"'It's called a hustle, Sweetheart,' yeah, that about sums it up," Nick chuckled, somewhat gravely.

"You two have just trying to get back at one another all these years?"

"You could say that," Nick shrugged. "I'm sorry that back then, I sided with her over you, and I'm sorry that things went this far. I didn't mean for you to get hurt, I promise."

Judy shook her head, wondering how they had found themselves in this situation.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Carrots."

"I don't see the point in all of this therapy stuff, Nick, it's not fixing anything."

"It's not supposed to fix everything, but it's supposed to help, Carrots, let you express how you actually feel."

"'Never let them see that they get to you,' right, Nick? That's what you said to me, years ago," her expression turned scornful once again. "So, why do I have to do this? Why can't I just figure this all out on my own?"

"Because, you aren't alone, not like I was when I said that," Nick replied gently. "I didn't have you then and you didn't have me, but now we have each other, so _talk _to me."

Judy sighed heavily, feeling her frustration start to ebb away. A moment of silence fell between the couple as the tension settled.

"I'm sorry," Judy finally exhaled after a few moments. "I just don't like sitting in some office, listening to a list of all the times I failed be read out to me, and then have someone telling me to relive the worst parts of my life. I don't want to do that."

"You see those as times you failed?" Nick asked, reaching his paw to Judy's chin and lifting her face so that they made eye contact.

Judy only nodded, feeling tears sting the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, Fluff," Nick sighed as he pulled her in for a hug. "Those aren't times you failed. Those are times when you were incredibly brave. You have saved so many lives, Carrots, which is not a failure in my book."

Judy stifled a sob against his chest, and Nick held her tightly.

"Why didn't you tell me about the nightmares, Judy?"

"I was afraid you'd think I was going crazy," the bunny murmured against his chest.

"I already know you're crazy, Carrots," Nick smirked.

Sniffling, Judy pulled back and shoved him playfully, before looking down at the pavement below her, hesitating.

"I hate when we fight."

"You're not the only one."

"I don't blame you for any of this, Nick. I shouldn't have said those things, I was just upset, and you shouldn't blame yourself, either."

"I know, Carrots," Nick smiled with a wink. "Let's go home, huh? Kids are at my mom's, we have the day to ourselves. How about we grab something good to eat, go home, maybe put on a movie, cry it all out, and just have some you and I time? I promise we won't ever do another one of those sessions again if you don't want to, deal?"

Judy smiled, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Deal."


	74. Chapter 74

"Pick a venue."

"Check."

"Arrange transportation."

"Check."

"Hire the photographer."

"Check."

"Figure out catering."

"Check."

"Book a florist."

"Check."

"Purchase invitations."

"Check."

"Send out invitations."

"Check."

"Create seating chart."

"Check."

"Get a cake."

"Check."

"Choose menu. Choose music. Choose flowers. Choose wine."

"Check, check, check, check."

"Choose bridesmaids. Choose Maid of Honor. Choose groomsmen. Choose Best Man."

"Check, check, check, annnnd check."

"Get bridesmaids' dresses. Get groomsmen's suits. Get outfits for kids."

"Check, check, check."

"Get wedding dress."

"Check!"

"Get marriage license."

"Check."

"Write vows."

"Check!"

"That's everything, Carrots."

"Let's go through it one more time."

Chuckling softly, Nick threw the large yellow note pad he had been holding on their king size bed. He then turned back to face a fidgeting Judy, who's right foot was practically thumping a hole into the carpet. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, the chores of the home completed and the events of the following week planned for. Judy and Nick stood in their room, the television turned to a news station, the volume down low. Through their open door, the couple could hear the children playing in their bedroom just down the hall.

"We've been through it three times today, Carrots. We got everything on the list."

"It just feels like we have so much to do!"

"Oh, wait, there's one more thing," Nick said, his face scrunching in thought as he glanced at the notepad on the bed, moving to read from the page.

"What is it?" Judy asked, her nose twitching at the thought of missing something important.

"It says, 'marry the fox of your dreams,'" Nick smirked.

"Oh, is that on there?" Judy faked a sigh. "I meant to remove that _months_ ago."

"Ouch!" Nick laughed loudly. "Alright, alright, Fluff. That's everything."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Judy's right foot thumped harder and faster against the carpet.

Nick stepped forward, taking Judy's paws into his own and gently placing his left foot over her right to quiet the soft thumping.

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure," Nick reassured Judy as he leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I feel like there's something we're missing," the bunny whined.

"That's because we have been planning nonstop for nine months – a year if you count the lost time over the holidays," Nick reasoned, a smirk etched on his face.

"Are you sure we have everything? You didn't overlook anything or–"

"Carrots," Nick laughed. "We've done it all. Just one more week, Darling."

"Just one more week," Judy smiled shyly.

"You'll officially be Mrs. Wilde on Saturday, so take a deep breath, Fluff."

Nodding quickly, Judy inhaled deeply. She inhaled a second time, then closed her eyes and inhaled several more times before she finally looked back up at Nick.

"Feel better?" Nick asked.

"Definitely," Judy laughed. "So, what now?"

"Well, the bridesmaids and groomsmen picked up their dresses and suits yesterday. We pick up the kids' outfits tomorrow, and then your dress and my suit on Wednesday. Other than that, nothing until Saturday."

"Saturday, the flowers will be delivered at eight. Food and wine should arrive just a little after that. I'll be in hair and make-up all morning."

"I'll get ready, then help my mom get the kids ready to go that morning."

"And she's okay with watching them Friday night and the majority of Saturday?"

"Of course, Carrots."

"Then, if everything goes smoothly–"

"_When _everything goes smoothly," Nick chimed in with a laugh. "Have some faith in us, huh?"

"Right," Judy smiled. "_When _everything goes smoothly, then the next time I'll see you will be–"

"At around one o'clock, when your dad walks you down the aisle – right to me," Nick grinned.

"Right to you," Judy grinned back at the fox.

"Oh, and Carrots?"

"Yes?"

"If you trip and fall – no, _when _you trip and fall – just remember that I'll be right there to pick you up… after I stop laughing."

"How romantic of you to say," Judy giggled.

"What can I say? I'm a charmer."

"Mm-hmm," Judy smirked, using Nick's tie to pull him in for a kiss.

The fox happily moved forward, his eyes fluttering closed as he braced himself.

"If you're such a charmer," Judy said in a hushed voice, stopping just short so that her and Nick's faces were centimeters apart, their lips close but untouched. "Then, what are these?"

From Nick's left-breast shirt pocket, Judy pulled out two plane tickets that had been tucked just out of sight. His eyes flying open, Nick scrambled to snatch the tickets back, but Judy was too quick, jumping out of his reach onto their bed as she waved the tickets in the air.

"I _knew _you were up to something!" she shrieked triumphantly. "You can't hide things from me, Nick; I'm a cop _and _your wife!"

"Those were supposed to be a surprise," Nick groaned as he placed his paws on his hips. "How long have you known?"

"Oh, not long – just since February," Judy grinned.

"_February_? It's _May_!"

"You can't expect me not to notice when hundreds of dollars go missing from our account, Nick!"

"Clever bunny," Nick grumbled.

"Dumb fox," Judy smiled broadly as she glanced at the tickets.

"Alright, fun's over; hand 'em over."

Nick reached out a paw, but the bunny only held the tickets higher out of reach.

"Oh, no, no," Judy teased. "I'd like to look at them."

At this, Nick rolled his eyes.

"Look away, _detective_," he smirked.

"With pleasure," Judy beamed.

She then let out an exaggerated "hmm" as she examined the tickets carefully. However, her game didn't last long as she began to actually read the words typed in black ink on the tickets.

"These are tickets to the Canal District," she said, looking back up at Nick.

"They are."

"They're dated for next week…"

"They are."

Judy stared at Nick skeptically, her eyes narrowed. After several long moments, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other on the bed and raised her chin, eyes still on Nick, who shrugged nonchalantly.

"You planned our honeymoon."

It wasn't a question.

"I did," Nick smiled, carefully waiting for Judy's full reaction.

The bunny only continued to stare at him in disbelief.

"Please, don't be mad," he added hesitantly.

"How long are we staying?"

"Just a week, but we can stay longer if you like. I've already cleared it with the Chief – paid vacation time – and my mom will watch the kids, she insisted."

Judy nodded at his words and looked down at the tickets once again, running her paws over them considerately.

Nick felt his heart skip a beat.

"Carrots?"

If Judy didn't like the honeymoon idea, they were out more than a few hundred dollars – not to mention his plan would have plummeted faster than the time he had attempted to bail out of helping the Zootopia Police Department's first rabbit officer on her very first real case. Nick smiled to himself at the thought of their very first case together. He wasn't an officer at the time, nor had he been willing to help Judy in her time of need until he had seen the severity the case had in making or breaking her career. His eyes swept over the rabbit in front of him, the rabbit who had started off as an over-ambitious cop who was almost too naïve for her own good. Now, well, she was still an over-ambitious cop who was almost too naïve for her own good, but she had grown in more ways than one. She had seen the best in him, even when he hadn't seen it. She had chosen him over the rest of the world, even when the world disgraced her for it at times. She had lived with him, had given him children, had married him before they were even married. Nick marveled at this rabbit, who he knew would always live with him, would raise children with him, would marry him every day if she had the chance. Now, after years of the ups and the downs, they were just a mere week away from tying it all together.

After a few more moments, Judy looked up with a massive grin on her face.

"Does that mean we're going to the Zootopia Space Station?"

"I was thinking more of the beach, but that's fine," Nick laughed.

"Oh, Nick!" Judy laughed as she jumped from the bed and nearly tackled him in a tight hug, the two of them spinning around and falling onto their massive bed in each other's arms.

"You didn't have to – I can't believe you did this!"

"Relax, Carrots, it'll be fun. We both need this. A little quality newly-wed time, just you and I, get away from Downtown Zootopia for a little bit."

Judy grinned and kissed Nick full on the mouth, feeling him laugh against her as she did so. Nick kissed her back, the two each melting into the grasp of one another. After several long minutes in one another's embrace, the two broke apart, smiling at the other.

"Carrots?"

"Hmm?"

"About what you said last week at the therapy thing…"

"Yes?" Judy propped her head up in her paw, watching Nick carefully with a puzzled look.

"I don't think the polar bear incident was your fault."

"Nick–"

"No, no, hold on. Just let me get this out," Nick said gently, his eyes on the ceiling.

"I don't think the polar bear incident was your fault," he continued. "I think it was _my_ fault, but I also know that neither one of us is to blame – we both know the risks of being cops. I don't talk about how I feel about the Junior Ranger Scouts playing us for months because I know that's life; I know that that is sometimes the way things work out, and I try not to let my anger get me."

Nick glanced up at Judy, who was listening intently, her eyes focused on him.

"And Carrots," he smiled sadly. "I don't talk about my dad because I miss him more than anything else. I wish my mom still had him, and wish he still had my mom. I wish he had had the chance to meet the kids – to meet you."

Nick placed a paw on Judy's, giving it a reassuring squeeze as he did so.

"We can always talk about things that bother us, Fluff."

"Nick," Judy sighed with a small smile. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Judy."

"One more week, then right to you, _Mr_. Wilde," Judy smiled brightly.

"One more week, then right to me, _Mrs_. Wilde."


	75. Chapter 75

"Ohhh, I'm freaking out, man."

"Stop freaking out."

"Yeah, that's a lot of help – thank you, Finnick."

"Any time."

Nick was pacing his private room, running his paws over his face and ears as he did so. According to the clock on the wall, it was quickly nearing 12:40, and Nick's nervousness seemed to escalate with each passing minute. He was dressed, with everything else scheduled for that day already completed – flower delivery, food and wine delivery, kids ready, and guests seated.

Now, all that was left was to get married.

If only it were that easy.

"Nick, come on, we gotta go," Finnick urged.

The small fennec fox was leaning lazily against the wall nearest the door. Nick was expected to be in the event room of the Zootopia Natural History Museum, which had been converted for the wedding, by 12:45. The Museum was one of Judy's favorite places, and since its renovations at the time of the "Night Howler incident," the couple and the children had visited the building many times. To Nick and Judy, the Museum represented a turning point in their relationship, and it seemed fitting to hold the biggest turn in their relationship here.

With a sigh, Nick shook his head and put himself back in the game.

"Okay," he breathed. "I'm ready."

"If it makes you feel any better," Finnick shrugged as the two began making their way to the event room. "I'm sure she's freaking out too."

"I think I'm freaking out."

"There's no reason to freak out, Jude the Dude."

"Oh, you aren't helping, Stu!"

"Well, I'm trying, Bonnie!"

"Neither one of you are helping!"

Judy was pacing her private room, wringing her paws as she did so. According to the clock on the wall, it was quickly nearing one o'clock, and Judy's nervousness seemed to escalate with each passing minute. She was dressed, with hair and make-up done, and everything had gone smoothly so far – flowers had been delivered, food and wine had been delivered, Nick had informed her that he and the kids were ready, and the guests were all properly seated.

Now, all that was left was to get married.

If only it were that easy.

"Judy, Honey, we should get going," Stu urged as he took Judy's paws in his own.

Judy glanced at her father, then down to her paws, where she clearly noticed the empty space that represented her missing wedding ring. Her expression softened at the thought of Nick giving her the ring one last time. The bunny looked back up at her father, who was watching her carefully.

"I'll see you two down there," Bonnie smiled as she kissed Judy's cheek and gave her husband a reassuring look, before exiting Judy's private room and making her way to the event room.

Judy was expected to be in the event room of the Zootopia Natural History Museum by one o'clock. The couple was back to where it seemed to all begin, taking another turn in their relationship.

With a sigh, Judy shook herself from her thoughts and looked up at her father.

"Okay," she breathed. "I'm ready."

With that, Judy's father led her down several staircases until they stood, arms interlocked, in front of a large set of oak doors that opened into the event room. Two antelopes, who had been hired with several other antelopes as waiters for the event, stood just outside the doors, ready to open them when instructed. Judy knew that several things awaited her on the other side of those doors, and the feeling overwhelmed her. A massive room, with a polished floor and several swinging chandeliers, were waiting on the other side of those doors. The guests – her friends and family, her bridesmaids and his groomsmen, her children, her future husband, were waiting on the other side of those doors. She paused a moment, holding onto her father firmly.

"Judy?"

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she sighed, feeling tears sting her eyes slightly. "Just need a minute."

At her words, Judy's father remained silent, watching his daughter with an appreciative expression. After a few silent moments, Judy looked up at him.

"You know," she smiled. "The first time Nick proposed, it was a crazy accident? I was almost six months pregnant, and one of the babies kicked for the first time. I dropped a plate and it broke; Nick had been in the shower, and he came running to check on me. When he went to get his clothes, the ring fell out of his shirt pocket. He told me that he was going to officially propose later, but he got down on one knee and did it right there in our kitchen."

_ "I wasn't going to propose for a while."_

_"When are you planning on doing it?... Oh, come on, you can tell me, Nick!" _

_"If I do something right now, do you promise to wait until I actually propose?"_

_"But when are you going to propose?"_

_"Soon, I promise, but I want it to be a surprise."_

_"Okay. What are you going to do now?"_

_"I'm going to show you, but I'm going to hide the ring after I do it. This time, it won't be in my shirt pocket so you won't go looking for it." _

_"Okay, what are you going to do now?" _

_"This… Carrots, will you marry me?" _

_"Yes!"_

"He loves you, Judy," Judy's father stated with affection.

"I know," Judy nodded, as she carefully wiped the emerging tears from her eyes.

With one last deep breath, Judy nodded at her father and the waiters, who opened the large doors in one clean movement.

There she was.

To Nick, Judy had the ability to make anything look good – she even made three nights of no sleep due to work and four children look good – but now, there was truly nothing that compared to the looks Judy possessed on her wedding day. As soon as Judy entered the room, every animal present focused their attention on her with warm smiles on their faces. Nick felt his paws, which were casually hidden in his pockets, begin to shake slightly, and tried to keep them steady so no one would notice. In this moment, even a room full of family and friends seemed to make him nervous, though he knew they had to be a little bit nervous too.

Within seconds of entering the room, Judy and Nick's eyes met. It took every bit of Nick's being to remain calm, to not pass out, but he couldn't help having a wild grin on his face at the sight of the bunny. She was wearing the "fairy tale" dress of her dreams, which was made up of a fitted bodice and a full skirt that flared at the waist. The ball gown came up to her chest, where sheer lace fabric fit her shoulders and upper back perfectly. The measurements and fittings done on the dress over the last few months had truly been for the best, as every inch of fabric fit the rabbit with distinct precision. Judy and the dress seemed to fit one another without fault, bringing out the best in each other. Her left arm was interlocked in her father's right, and in her right paw, Judy held a bouquet made up of flowers the colors of summer, which were held securely together with white ribbon.

It felt like an eternity since he had seen her last, though he knew it had only been a few hours. He tried to take a deep breath and steady himself, but he also couldn't tear his eyes away from Judy and the energy she seemed to bring into the room with ease – then again, no part of him wanted to tear his eyes away.

"Right to me," Nick whispered to himself.

When Judy returned Nick's smile and took the first step down the aisle, he was sure someone was going to have to revive him.

There he was.

To Judy, Nick had the ability to maintain a confident and tranquil ambience in any situation – he even made the scariest of situations absolutely calm – but now, there was nothing but Nick's familiar smirk that could have put Judy's mind and heart at ease. As soon as Judy entered the room, every animal present focused their attention on her, which immediately set her on edge. She felt her paws, which were grasping a bouquet of flowers, begin to shake slightly, and tried to keep them steady so no one would notice. In this moment, even her father, who's right arm was interlocked with her left, seemed to make Judy nervous, though she knew he had to be a little bit nervous too.

Within seconds of entering the room, Nick and Judy's eyes met. Judy saw a wild grin on the fox's face, one that was genuine and one that still managed to possess the confidence and tranquility one of his familiar smirks did. At his smile, Judy felt every bit of her tension ebb away. She felt her muscles relax and her paws steady; she felt her self-assurance returning. He was wearing a dark grey suit, his undershirt a crisp white and his vest a light brown. His tie and pocket square were a color that perfectly mixed grey and brown so that it matched his ensemble yet also drew attention. The measurements and fittings done on the suit over the last few months had truly been for the best, as every inch of fabric fit the fox with distinct precision. Nick and the suit seemed to fit one another without fault, bringing out the best in each other. His paws were placed in his pockets, his demeanor completely casual.

It felt like an eternity since she had seen him last, though she knew it had only been a few hours. She took a deep breath and steadied herself, but refused to tear her eyes away from Nick and the sereneness he seemed to bring into the room with ease – then again, no part of her wanted to tear her eyes away.

"Right to you," Judy sighed quietly.

When Judy returned Nick's smile and took the first step down the aisle, she was sure someone was going to have to revive her.

Judy and Nick kept their eyes locked on one another, even as the music started, even as the guests stood and watched Judy with merriment, even as Stu's grasp on Judy's arm tightened slightly with their first movements. With her first step down the aisle, Judy felt a wave of emotion suddenly rush over her. The feeling was a giddy nervousness she couldn't quite describe, and each step down the aisle felt unreal and distant.

"Right to you," she reminded herself silently as she let Nick's smile and casual demeanor guide her forward.

Judy wasn't the only one being affected by this wave of emotion. Nick had never been one to cry often, but that didn't mean he didn't cry at all. He cried when those Junior Ranger Scouts muzzled him once during his childhood, he cried when his father died, he cried when Judy nearly had her throat ripped out by that silver fox years ago, he cried when he and Judy had officially come to terms with being parents, he had cried when Judy agreed to marry him, he cried when he listened to Judy express her feelings about her kidnapping, and he found himself crying now as he watched his wife walk down the aisle toward him. No, Nick had never been one to cry often, but after years with Judy Hopps, he was now one to cry often.

"Right to me," he repeated with determination as he watched Judy make her way down the aisle.

A few seconds later, Nick greeted Judy and her father at the end of the aisle, where Stu officially gave his daughter away.

Together, Judy and Nick stepped in front of their wedding officiant, a jaguar that Mrs. Wilde claimed was "an old family friend," something that neither Nick nor Judy felt the need to object to as long as the jaguar was qualified. Sparing one quick look away from each other, the couple gave a last glance to their friends and family. Bonnie was already in tears, and Stu seemed to be heading that way himself. A smiling Mrs. Wilde sat with the children, who were all dressed nearly identically to Nick and Judy, and who were amazingly quiet and watching with keen attention – though Red and Robin seemed to be having a small squabble over their tiny ties. Throughout the room, animals were either smiling or nearing tears if they weren't already wiping them away. In the back of the room, Nick had even sworn he had seen a sobbing Clawhauser being comforted by a very stern Chief Bogo, but he didn't have time to double check as the jaguar officiant began greeting the audience.

After the greeting was completed, and the jaguar read a few noble quotes of love and unity, Nick and Judy were each handed one another's rings.

"The couple will now read their vows," the jaguar stated. "Celebrating the unity of two people in this way proclaims in public what was decided in the private corners of the heart. It proclaims the couple's belief that they are meant to be together, and that they are ready to embrace the future together. Nick and Judy wish to pledge their vows to each other before us today."

At this, Nick took Judy's paw and returned her ring to its proper place.

"I, Nick, take you, Carrots," Nick winked with a smile. "To be my equal partner in love, life, and law for today, tomorrow, and forever. I promise to take you as my partner, my best friend, and as my wife. Somehow, my life has come to this amazing moment – excuse me, I have to take a breath to believe this is real – and now I will always share this moment with you. I promise to kiss you each and every day, to love you through each Bunny Espresso, and to love you even when you don't know when to quit."

Judy found herself chuckling along with the guests at Nick's vows. When the laughter subsided, she felt him squeeze her paws reassuringly. Judy then took Nick's ring and put it on his paw, before she looked into the fox's green eyes and grinned.

"I, Carrots, take you, Nick," Judy smiled genuinely. "To be my equal partner in love, life, and law for today, tomorrow, and forever. I promise to take you as my partner, my best friend, and as my husband. Sometimes, I watch just the smallest things you do and think I am the luckiest animal alive. I'm marrying you today, but we both know that I married you years ago. I promise myself to you; I promise my love to you, not just for this moment, not just for an hour, not just for a day, not just for a year – I will _always _love you."

Judy felt tears stinging her eyes, but she didn't care; she just kept smiling at Nick, who just kept smiling right back at her, tears filling his eyes.

The jaguar took a small step forward and continued the ceremony.

"Do you, Nick, take Judy to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

"Do you, Judy, take Nick to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

"You may now kiss the bride."

Nick didn't have to be told twice.


	76. Chapter 76

"Alright, I'd like to start off with a toast to my wife," Nick smirked, one paw in his suit pocket, the other holding a glass of champagne. "Get ready, this is gonna be long."

The fox laughed, which the crowd around him happily returned.

"Everyone in this room has seen Carrots and I at some of our worst and best moments, and we want to thank you very much for that, but I have to say, you really have _no_ idea what we've seen in one another, so I'd like to tell you. I met Cottontail a little less than eight years ago – she's old, I know," Nick paused and chuckled at the punch Judy delivered to his arm.

"Sorry, sorry – _I_'_m _old. Anyway, I met her about eight years ago in an ice cream shop. At the time, my pal, Finnick, and I were in the scamming business of selling pawpsicles, and Carrots was a new cop who we – well, scammed. Back then, Carrots wanted a real case, so she decided to take on the Night Howler Case, which at the time was nothing more than several missing animals with empty case files. This rabbit then scammed _me_ – I never paid taxes, it was a whole thing, it's not important – and I ended up on one of the wildest rides of my life. We were chased by jaguars, wolves, rams; we almost got iced by Mr. Big; we flushed ourselves down a toilet because Carrots doesn't know when to put her phone on silent; we even high jacked a train! Long story short, I let the first rabbit officer convince me to become the first fox officer," Nick smiled, then paused slightly, his eyes watching his feet as he made his way forward.

He was now near the center of the room, the guests seated in chairs at tables around what had been designated the "dance floor." Judy, along with her Maid of Honor, Fru Fru, and Nick's Best Man, Finnick, were all seated at a long table placed horizontally at the head of the room.

"That was the best thing that ever happened to me," Nick stated in a soft voice, taking pauses between thoughts. "This bunny saw the best in me, saw me for more than just some fox. She was the first animal to do this, and she flipped my whole world upside down. Since then – well, you know – it's been just as wild a ride as that first case together. Carrots and I have faced our pasts together, have solved numerous cases, and have been in the hospital more times than I would have liked. We lived in my awful apartment together; we stayed up late watching movies together; we laughed together; we bought a home together; we brought four amazing kids into this world together, we planned this wedding together. Personally, I have watched this little bunny take on the world and win. It's, by far, the scariest and sexiest thing I've ever seen," Nick snickered at his joke as Judy let out a noise of indignation, and the crowd burst into a fit of laughter.

"Sorry, sorry! My point here is… there is _no one_ I would have rather spent just about the last decade with, and there is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with," Nick stated.

The fox then reached down and removed his cellphone from his suit pocket. He unlocked the phone and showed everyone his homescreen: a picture from about two years prior, on the day the kids at been born. The picture depicted an extremely exhausted, but happy Judy, and a smirking Nick holding their four newborn children, who were all swaddled in hospital blankets and sleeping peacefully.

"Despite the new phones I've gotten and the pictures I've taken over the years, this picture will always remain my favorite, and it has been my homescreen for so long for that reason," Nick sighed as he looked at the photo. "With that, I'd like to change it."

Nick turned and faced Judy, as the crowd let out noises of approval.

"If you please, Carrots," Nick said as he gestured dramatically to the empty space in front of him.

Laughing, Judy stood and made her way to the center of the room with Nick, who stepped back and made a show of taking what he considered to be the perfect picture of his wife. Nick then set the new photo as his homescreen and showed the laughing audience. The phone now depicted a smiling Judy, her head slightly tilted to the side, and her wedding dress billowing around her.

After the audience expressed approval of the photo, Nick put his phone away, and reached for a hidden pocket just inside his suit jacket. A moment later, his paw revealed a carrot pen with dulling orange color. He waited for the audience to quiet down some, then pressed the "play" button on the side of the pen. Judy's voice, clearly happy, as well as some background noise, filled the room.

"_Yes_."

"This was when I officially proposed to Carrots, in front of just about everyone here today," Nick continued.

He stepped forward, planted a kiss on Judy's cheek, before he pressed the "record" button on the pen.

"A toast to my wife – who I love now and will love always," he said to the pen and the crowd, before releasing the "record" button.

"Oh, and I'll try to love the kids now and then, too," Nick grinned as he raised his glass and drank with the crowd.

The guests clapped and cheered as Nick leaned in and kissed Judy once more.

"Alright, you've talked enough, Drama Queen, it's my turn," Judy giggled as she pushed Nick to sit down.

The bunny then graciously accepted a full glass of champagne from a guest and waited for the crowd to settle. Now the center of attention, Judy cupped her champagne glass in both paws and began her toast.

"I'd like to thank you all for everything you have done for us, as Nick said. Everyone in this room has been a huge part of our lives and we appreciate you all so much for that. It's pretty hard to top Nick's speech, but I sure will try," Judy gibed. "Now, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the story of how Nick and I met, and every story from then on, but I'd rather talk about something that happened rather recently. For those of you who keep up with our family in a regular fashion, you'll recall that I was absent from my life for about a month, and then was still absent in some ways in the months after," Judy paused and took a deep breath that slightly rattled her lungs.

"I appreciate Nick for his kind words when he said I took on the world and won, but I have to admit that this last year has been the hardest year of my life – been the hardest year of _our_ lives, actually. I owe my life to Nick for more than one occasion. Nick has always been at my side, even when I shot him on purpose," Judy smiled as she heard Nick laugh behind her. "For that, I am extremely grateful. In all honesty, Nick and I have been married for a very long time. I married Nick when I asked him to join the ZPD and become my partner. I married him when we first started dating and I slept on his _really_ ugly couch every night. I married him when my wedding ring fell out of his shirt pocket in front of me in our kitchen one night. I married him when he proposed… _twice_. Technically speaking, I've married Nick more than once, but I truly married Nick in a hospital room just before we welcomed our four children."

Judy glanced at her four kids, who were watching curiously as they sat with their grandmother. The bunny smiled at each of them lovingly.

"I used to think that coming to Zootopia, that becoming a cop was the greatest thing to happen to me, but I was wrong. Nick held me as I cried in a hospital room months ago because I thought that I had officially broken, and since then, he's convinced me that I am far from broken. These scars," Judy ran her paws over her cheek and down her neck, where several scars from Valerie and Culpeo's crimes stood out clearly in her fur. "They are a reminder of a horrible experience that has changed me forever… but, they are also a reminder of my strength, of Nick's strength, of my family's strength, of the ZPD's strength. They are a reminder that Nick will always be there for me, will always be there to make me laugh even when I want to cry."

Judy briefly turned and faced Nick, nodding thankfully at him, before turning back to the crowd.

"A toast to my husband, who I know will always be there to hold me," Judy raised her glass with a smile on her face.

The crowd drank, though Judy did not.

"Is he crying?" she asked the guests, who began laughing.

Judy turned and saw the fox fighting back tears, trying to laugh it off and wipe the evidence away. Nick stood and hugged her, the two of them laughing as the crowd cheered once more.

With the official ceremony completed and the toasts concluded, the wedding moved on to the more entertaining part of the night. Nick and Judy cut their wedding cake (Judy got a massive piece of cake to the face thanks to Nick), and the couple took part in multiple games with the guests. Judy danced with her father, Nick danced with his mother, and the couple danced with their children. Almost two hours after they had said "I do," the couple found themselves alone on the dance floor, all eyes on them as the DJ began playing "The Carrots Mix." Nick pulled Judy in close, their paws interlocked, their faces centimeters apart. They gently swayed and spun to the music, laughing quietly with each other.

"It took almost eight years to get here," Judy sighed so only Nick could hear. "But every minute was worth it."

"It feels like just yesterday I was shaking your hand outside of that ice cream parlor," Nick smirked.

_"…Officer...?"_

_"Hopps! Mr…?"_

_"Wilde, Nick Wilde."_

"Oh, you mean right before you scammed me?"

"I don't recall," Nick chuckled.

"Oh, I'm sure," Judy laughed with him, leaning her head against his chest as they continued to sway to the music.

"Nick?" she asked quietly after some time.

"Yes, Carrots?"

"Words really can't express how much you mean to me. You've been my partner and my best friend for years, and there's not a moment with you that I don't absolutely cherish."

"Judy," Nick smiled as she looked up, her eyes widened at the use of her first name – the typical reaction when Nick didn't refer to her using a nickname. "You turned my life into something truly wonderful. I honestly can't tell you where I would be today if I hadn't met you all those years ago. I certainly wouldn't have such an amazing job, good friends, truly special children, and a beautiful wife."

Nick smiled as he spun his wife around slowly, her dress filling out as she turned.

"I wouldn't have a family if it weren't for you," he continued. "And I know we've only been married for a couple of hours, but I took you for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health years ago."

Judy felt tears stinging her eyes.

"Don't make me cry," she breathed.

"Too late, Darling," Nick smiled as he pulled the bunny back in, leaned down, and firmly planted a kiss on her forehead.

The two continued to dance, now closer than before, enjoying one another's company.

"Nick."

"Hmm?"

"I'm pregnant."

Nick immediately stopped dead in his tracks.

"Carrots…"

Nick moved back so that he could Judy's face. The bunny covered her mouth to keep from laughing loudly.

"Tell me you're joking."

"Surprise!" she whispered with a smile. "I was going to wait and tell you later tonight, but this felt like a good time."

"How long have you known?"

"I went to the doctor's the other day when you took the kids to the park. I'm seven weeks along."

"Oh, Rabbit," Nick groaned as he pulled her back in, continuing the dance and smiling to himself. "You're something else."


	77. Chapter 77

"Nick, come _on_. We have a flight in the morning!"

"Hmm?"

"You know you're too heavy for me to lift, and lifting drunk you is like lifting dead weight!"

"Tha's rude, Carrot."

"It's Carrot_s_."

It was nearing three in the morning on a warm Sunday night in early June. Judy couldn't help but laugh as she continued to attempt to pull Nick from their large black, ZPD-issued SUV. The car was parked in the driveway outside of the couple's home, a home that they had now owned for almost four years. Nick was dressed in dark grey slacks and a (now wrinkled and untucked) white button-up undershirt. The sleeves of his shirt were haphazardly rolled partially up his arms and more than a few of the shirt's buttons were undone. The fox's hair was ruffled in places, a final touch to his overall drunk demeanor. Judy, who was completely sober, was dressed in a one-shoulder black party dress that cinched at the waist and flared at the skirt, complimenting her figure. She stood beside the SUV's open passenger-side door, her paws on her hips as she watched the fox attempt to remove himself from the vehicle.

Approximately fourteen hours earlier, the two had married each other.

Approximately fourteen hours earlier, at around one o'clock, Nick had stood in the Zootopia Natural History Museum's event room (wearing a dark grey suit, his undershirt a crisp white and his vest a light brown) and had watched Judy (wearing the "fairy tale" dress of her dreams with a fitted bodice and a full skirt that flared at the waist) walk down the aisle right to him, where the two had said "I do."

A few hours before that, the couple had spent the entire morning setting up the final preparations of the wedding they had spent months planning.

A few hours after that, the couple gave heart-warming toasts, shoved wedding cake in one another's faces, and danced to their favorite music, until the night turned late and almost every guest was too drunk to get home.

At about ten o'clock that night, Judy and Nick's parents had departed, as well as a few of the more reserved guests, such as Chief Bogo. Judy's parents were staying at a nearby hotel, and were planning to leave to return to Bunnyburrow in the morning. Nick's mother, accompanied by Judy and Nick's four very exhausted children – Alan, Red, Robin, and Violet – had returned to her home. Mrs. Wilde had also taken Judy's wedding dress for safe keeping after the bunny had changed into something more comfortable.

The wedding's after-party ended around one in the morning, about twelve hours after the official ceremony. After the guests said their "good-byes" and their "congratulations," Judy had helped the waiters and wedding staff clean up what she could before dragging a very inebriated fox to their car and driving the two of them home.

Now, here they were.

"Nick, you're going to hate getting up early in the morning."

"Why we gettin' up early?" the fox slurred.

"We have a flight at nine, remember? Week-long honeymoon trip to the Canal District; just the two of us?"

The fox didn't answer, only continued to stare at the rabbit with his eyebrows furrowed.

"We still have a few things to pack," Judy continued. "I also want to say good-bye to the kids before we leave them at your mother's all week."

Again, Nick didn't reply, only nodded sloppily, which made Judy chuckle.

"That means," the bunny giggled. "We have to _get up_ _early_."

At this, the fox groaned, completely annoyed with this fact.

"I don' wanna do that," Nick whined.

"You don't have much of a choice, Mr. Wilde," Judy laughed, "Come on."

Judy tried to drag her husband from the car once more, but found herself unsuccessful yet again.

"You're cute, ya know that?" Nick chuckled at the huffing bunny.

"Yes, yes, I'm very cute. Will you get out of the car now?"

"Ya have a boyfriend?" the fox hiccupped.

"I'm married," Judy scoffed as she held up a paw, her wedding ring catching the moonlight and sparkling slightly.

"Gross," Nick said with a shrug. "I'll never get married."

"Nick, Sweetie," Judy laughed as she held up his own paw to show him his wedding band. "You _are_ married."

"Wha–?" the fox asked, incredulous. "To who?"

"To me."

"To you?"

Judy nodded in reply, trying not to burst into a fit of laughter at the expression on Nick's face.

"You're hot," Nick continued, seemingly trying to convince himself that he was indeed married.

"Why is it," Judy giggled. "That every time you're drunk, you comment on my looks?"

"Sorry," Nick grumbled in reply.

"Can we go in the house now?"

"We live 'ere?"

"Yes, we live here."

"Big house."

"Well, we do have four children."

"Wha–?" Nick asked, shocked once more by Judy's words.

"Mmm-hmm," Judy smiled. "_Four_ of them."

"Four?"

"And we've got more on the way."

"_Wha_–?"

Nick nearly fell out of the car, and Judy was too busy laughing that she almost didn't catch the fox in time.

"That figures," Judy scoffed. "Last time I told you I was pregnant, you got just as drunk and forgot. I bet anything you'll wake up tomorrow and think this was just some crazy dream… _again_."

It wasn't a dream, though. Just a few days before the wedding, Judy had learned that she was once again expecting, and had only gotten around to telling Nick earlier that night while the two danced at their wedding. She was seven weeks pregnant, about to give her four children who knows how many little siblings.

"Am I dreamin'?" Nick rubbed his head with a paw.

"Yes, Honey, you are," Judy smiled. "Let's go inside."

At this, Nick managed to slide from the car in a very ungraceful manner. He then heavily relied on physical support from Judy as the two made their way into the house. After several stumbling steps, and a lot of determination that was required to get Nick up the stairs, the couple was finally in bed. Judy changed into pajamas, but when she tried to get Nick into comfortable clothes, he pushed away from her, insisting he was married. An amused Judy, too exhausted to argue, let him sleep in the remains of his suit.

The next morning, Nick awoke to a pounding headache and a rabbit somewhat aggressively shaking him.

"Wha's happenin'?" he mumbled, trying to go back to sleep and ignore the figure hovering over him.

"What's happening," Judy exclaimed as she continued to shake Nick awake. "Is we're going to miss our flight if you don't get your tail in gear."

"I'm up, I'm up," Nick eventually grumbled, sitting up in bed with as much energy he could muster.

That was a short-lived action, though, as he immediately slumped back into the warm bed, quickly burying himself under the covers.

"You really don't do well with alcohol," Judy sighed as she pulled the fox upward again.

She then immediately shoved a cup of coffee into Nick's paws, which he was surprisingly grateful for.

"I'm going to finish packing. I recommend you shower; you stink," Judy smirked.

"_You _stink," Nick complained quietly as he dragged his feet to the bathroom.

"I heard that," Judy sang after him.

"Yeah, yeah, super-sonic hearing, I _know_," Nick called, dramatically gesturing with his arms before disappearing into the bathroom, Judy smirking again as he did so.

At the sound of the shower running, Judy, who was already dressed in navy jeans and a maroon hoodie, finished packing their things for the trip. Making sure that they had everything they needed, and even doing a final walk-through of the house to be absolutely sure of that fact, Judy found herself satisfied and zipped her and Nick's suitcases shut. She then carried each of their suitcases down to the parked SUV in the driveway out front, where she easily packed them into the trunk of the vehicle.

"Good to go," Judy stated proudly to herself, taking a moment to admire her packing skills and feel the cool early morning breeze on her fur.

The bunny then shut the back of the car, turned toward the house, and immediately collided with Nick.

"_Ah_!" Judy shrieked, jumping back immediately. "_Nick_! You almost gave me a heart attack! Announce yourself next time!"

Nick, who was now dressed in his usual khaki pants and his green Hawaiian button-up shirt, stood with his paws partially outstretched toward Judy, a very stunned and excited look on his face. Judy, who had just been clutching at her chest, trying to catch her breath after the scare, now stopped and began staring at the still fox.

"Nick?"

Again, Nick remained silent, but his face split into a joyful grin and his eyes widened with amusement.

"Uh, Nick?" Judy asked again, watching the fox with a very concerned expression. "Are you having a stroke here?"

"I remember."

Judy waited for Nick to elaborate, but when he only continued to grin at her, the bunny threw her paws up in a gesture of pure confusion.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, somewhat amused. "Is this the plot of _Memento_?"

"No, I'm saying I'm not hungover!"

"Congratulations?" Judy chuckled. "Though, with the way you woke up this morning, I disagree. I practically had to drag you out of bed–"

"No, no – we're married!" Nick cried out with joy.

Again, Judy found herself gesturing in confusion, but also laughing now.

"What?" she asked, pretending to be astounded. "Us – married? _No_! Really? No way!"

"Oh, shut up!" Nick chortled, now joining in the laughter.

"No, wait, I'm serious!" Judy giggled hysterically, making Nick laugh harder. "Married? That's _crazy_!"

Here, Judy and Nick nearly collapsed in laughter. The two stood at the end of their driveway, the day warm and sunny, enjoying one another's contagious giggles, clutching at their sides as they did so. Nick, trying to defend himself, and Judy, finding the whole situation absolutely hysterical.

After a few perfectly infectious moments of joy, the two managed to pull themselves together with happy sighs. Their eyes then met, Judy still smiling with delight and Nick now smirking at the smiling rabbit. After a brief blissful moment of appreciation for one another, Nick smiled, his eyes filled with intention.

"Judy," he stated softly yet seriously, making Judy blink in slight surprise, her smile faltering for just a moment. "I remember… you're pregnant."

"Nick," Judy sighed, her voice full of affection.

"You're pregnant!" Nick shouted with a laugh as he swept Judy off her feet and spun her in a circle.

"We're having more kids!" he yelled out to the quiet neighborhood as he spun her.

"Nick, you're going to make the neighbors absolutely hate us!" Judy laughed.

"Good," the fox grinned before pulling the bunny in close and kissed her fully on the mouth.

Judy, absolutely dazed from Nick's sudden movements, happily melted into the kiss, closing her eyes and kissing him back with an equal level of passion.

When the two broke apart, Nick immediately began kissing Judy all over her face and down her neck.

"I – love – you – so – much – you – clever – bunny," Nick said between kisses, making Judy laugh again.

"I love you too, Nick."

With a content sigh, Nick pulled back and looked into Judy's eyes once again.

"Let's go have a great honeymoon, Carrots."


	78. Chapter 78

The Canal District, a small watery district, was home to dolphins, manatees, seals, and the like, as well as home to the Beach of Zootopia and the Zootopia Space Station. Near the Meadowlands, and though not far from the Rainforest District, a two-hour flight was still needed to reach the couple's honeymoon destination. The couple, of course, could have driven the five hours to reach the same destination, much like they had done in the past when visiting the Hopps Family in Bunnyburrow, but the two felt it would be best to leave their large SUV in the care of Mrs. Wilde, who would be needing the extra car space while watching Nick and Judy's four toddlers.

The couple left their home around seven o'clock. They then drove to the Zootopia International Airport, the main hub for ZTP Airlines, Zootopian Airlines, and Buffalo Air. Once there, they met Mrs. Wilde and the kids (who had taken a cab) in one of the many parking lots at the airport.

"You be safe, Judy, and you keep an eye on Nicholas for me."

"She doesn't need to keep an eye on me, mom. I can–"

"Don't worry, Mrs. Wilde, I'll keep an eye on him," Judy smiled politely as she bounced a content Alan in her arms.

Judy's comment earned her a harsh glare from Nick, but not for long, as Violet began tugging on the fox's pants, trying to catch his attention so that her father could fix the white bow tied elegantly around her periwinkle blue dress. Nick, a complete push-over for his only daughter, dropped to one knee and complied immediately.

"You keep your brothers in line, yeah?" he stated quietly so only the little bunny would hear as he adjusted her bow.

"Yes, Daddy," Violet replied with a grin, which promptly earned her a kiss on the forehead.

After a few more cuddles, final good-byes, and _final _final good-byes since Judy could not stop hugging the kids, the rabbit and the fox entered the airport.

Once inside the extravagant building, the two checked in and sent their bags through security – and after an incident involving Judy nearly having to pull Nick out of a fight with a lion TSA Agent over Nick refusing to put his phone down – the couple was finally seated in their designated seats on their designated flight. The flight departed promptly at nine o'clock, and for the next two hours, the couple chatted and laughed – well, that is, chatted and laughed when Nick wasn't sleeping off his still apparent hangover.

At about 11:40, the couple was seated in a cab with their luggage, on their way to their vacation home. Her window down, Judy gawked at the Canal District the entire car ride. Never having been to this district before, the bunny felt the nostalgia of when she had travelled to Zootopia for the very first time many years ago. Nick, who had grown up in Zootopia and consequently had been across just about every inch of the districts, smirked at the excited bunny as she pointed out the buildings, restaurants, and signs to the beach and the space station.

The Canal District was hot and humid this time of the summer, and the streets were crowded with animals out and about, visiting shops and grabbing a bite to eat during the lunch rush. Judy was intent on joining the crowd as soon as they were unpacked.

A little past noon, the couple's cab pulled into the driveway of their small vacation home on Kapok Street. The little blue beach house at 1300 Kapok Street was just on the edge of the canal that surrounded the district, offering a perfect location that wasn't too far from the beach nor the heart of the district. The home consisted of a master bedroom with a shared bathroom, an open kitchen-living space plan, and a laundry room that led into a garage. The floors were tiled white, the walls were painted a deep tan color, and the furniture was made up of sycamore wood.

Judy and Nick unpacked their things, Judy still exclaiming her excitement as they did so. The couple then changed clothes; Nick exchanged his khaki pants with khaki shorts, and kept on his green button-up Hawaiian shirt, though he removed his tie, while Judy changed into white shorts and a light purple shirt that fit her loosely.

The two entered the Badger Bistro around 1:30, and requested a private table near the back of the restaurant. The couple sat and ate, expanding their palettes as they tried out a multitude of dishes that were specialties of the Canal District culture. Meals completed, the couple ordered two cups of coffee – decaf for Judy – and chatted for hours, enjoying one another's company as the busy restaurant buzzed with activity around them.

"This is so nice," Judy sighed. "When was the last time we actually sat down for a date – just the two of us?"

"A _long _time ago," Nick chuckled. "I blame the kids. I told you we should have gotten rid of them years ago."

"Nick!" Judy laughed.

"Hey, don't give me that '_Nick_!' You know I'm right!"

"Well, you better change that attitude because we've got more on the way."

"Don't remind me," Nick smirked with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh, please," Judy scoffed at the fox. "You know you're excited."

"Am I? Got any proof of that, Officer Hopps?"

"How about your reaction this morning?"

"I don't recall."

"Oh, shut up!" Judy laughed. "You can't tell me you aren't excited after literally sweeping me off of my feet this morning!"

"Alright, alright," Nick grinned. "You got me, Fluff; I'm excited."

"You like being a dad," Judy smirked.

"I like being a dad," Nick agreed with a small smile, avoiding the bunny's glance. "You like being a mom."

"I really do, I like being a mom," Judy grinned, her thoughts clearly on her children.

Nick watched her expression carefully, smiling a little at his wife's love for their toddlers.

"It's hard to believe they'll be four years old here in just a few weeks," Judy sighed after a few moments of contemplation. "The time with them is just flying by. Next thing we know, they'll be married with kids of their own."

"Whoa, whoa," Nick laughed. "They're _three_, Carrots. We've got time."

"You just don't want to talk about them growing up because that includes you walking Violet down the aisle at her wedding."

At this, Nick snorted.

"Yeah, good luck to any guy who gets near my little girl," Nick remarked bitterly, taking another swig of his coffee.

Judy tried to suppress her giggles when the fox shot her a somewhat dirty look.

"Aw, your 'little girl,' huh?" Judy chastised.

"You laugh now, but you know you'll be crying at _all _of the weddings," Nick shot back with smirk before taking a sip from his cup.

"Of course, I'll be crying; they're my babies!" Judy exclaimed.

The two then broke into laughter for a few moments before Judy continued the conversation once more.

"Watch us end up with three girls and one boy this time," she grinned evilly.

"Oh, no, no," Nick laughed with a wave of his paws and a shake of his head. "Girls are fine, but four more kids? No, thank you."

"It might happen."

"Carrots, stop it."

"We could even have _more _than four."

"Carrots!" Nick laughed harder. "I mean it, knock it off."

"Okay, I'll stop," Judy giggled. "Let's talk about what we're going to do tomorrow."

"Easy. The beach."

"You mean the space station."

"You mispronounced 'the beach,' but it's okay, I knew what you meant."

"Nick," Judy smiled. "We're going to the space station."

"Why are you so against me seeing you in a bikini?"

"You are definitely not seeing me in a bikini on this trip."

"You're going to be hot at the beach tomorrow then."

Once again, a smirk and a sip of coffee.

"You better wipe that smug look off of your face, because we aren't going to the beach tomorrow," Judy argued.

"You just wearing your bikini around the house then?"

"We are going to the space station tomorrow, Nick. We can go to the beach the day after."

"That's no fun," Nick stated with a dramatic pout. "I don't get to see you in a bikini."

"You'll still get to see me in a bikini."

"You're wearing your bikini to the space station? I wouldn't recommend it," Nick shrugged, making Judy laugh again.

"So, you admit we're going to the space station tomorrow!"

"So, you admit that I will get to see you in a bikini on this trip."

Another smirk. Another sip of coffee.

Judy glared hard at the fox.

"Touché."


	79. Chapter 79

The first two days of the honeymooning couple's trip were nothing short of busy. With Judy wanting an educational experience at the Zootopia Space Station, and Nick wanting to surf the waves at the Beach of Zootopia, their schedules were immediately booked. The first day was spent at the space station, where an impassive Nick followed a bouncing Judy on a personalized tour they had paid extra for.

"It gives it a personal touch," Judy had said with a smirk as she handed over a considerable amount of money to the clerk at the tour ticket booth.

"I love how you wanted to go to the space station, and I wanted to go to the beach, so we compromised and now we're at the space station," Nick remarked with thick sarcasm.

Judy had only responded with a roll of her eyes.

As their lion tour guide led them through floor after floor of the space station, Nick found that watching Judy's reaction to the information she was receiving was far more entertaining than the tour itself. You would have thought her dream would have been to pursue a career as an astronaut rather than a police officer; her ears remained attentive during the entirety of the two-hour tour, and her nose wiggled excitedly any time the tour guide pointed out a special piece of equipment used in the space station's latest project. Occasionally, she would even turn around and fix Nick with a massive smile, her paws clenched in fists out of pure excitement. At the end of the tour, Judy really could not stop talking, her mouth articulating her thoughts as she processed all of the new information at a rapid pace, her joy making her fluffball of a tail twitch with pure happiness. She was literally jumping up and down as she talked, even so to the point that Nick had to catch her a few times before she ran into other animals on the street as they walked around the Canal District. That night, she slept in a navy blue t-shirt with the Zootopia Space Station's logo plastered across the front of it – a souvenir she _had_ to get, of course.

On the second day, the fox and the rabbit found themselves at the beach, soaking up the sun and taking in the breathtaking view of the ocean. Nick insisted they attempt a surfing lesson with the penguin surfers on the beach, surfing being an activity neither one of the two had ever taken part in.

"It'll be a learning experience – you know you love those," Nick had said with a grin as he watched a penguin strap a surfboard leash to Judy's right foot.

However, Nick soon found that he regretted this learning experience as Judy easily outdid him in surfing. While Nick regularly tumbled off his board into the crashing waves, Judy manipulated her board through the water with ease.

"You know, the beach isn't as cool as I thought," Nick had breathlessly called to Judy after pulling himself back up onto his board for the umpteenth time.

At this, Judy had laughed and merely shrugged as she glided past him.

"Call it payback for you insisting I wear a bikini!" she yelled back.

After surfing, the two played several games of sand volleyball on the beach, got frozen lemonade from a nearby stand, and walked along the shoreline as they held paws, letting the waves gently caress their feet as the water washed ashore.

On the third day, the two took a more relaxing approach, choosing to stay in their beach house and have a video game tournament against one another. When the tournament ended in a bitter tie, the couple decided to go out and see a late movie at the theatre in the Canal District. It was well past midnight when the two began walking up the driveway to the house.

"All I'm saying is that it was a cheesy movie."

"Carrots! How dare you? That movie was _beautiful_!"

"Is that why you were crying when they confessed that they loved each other?" Judy laughed as she dug in her pockets for her keys.

"I wasn't crying, I just have bad allergies."

"Funny how I'm just now learning of these allergies after eight years with you."

"Are you telling me you don't have allergies every eight years? I thought that was a common thing."

"Nick!" Judy laughed with a shake of her head before her eyes rested on the white front door of their beach house. "Nick…"

At the change in her tone, Nick followed Judy's glance to the door, which was slightly ajar and lightly swinging in the night breeze.

"I locked the door when we left," Judy whispered.

Without a moment's hesitation, Nick pulled his police-issued tranquilizer gun from his belt. At the sight of it, Judy blanched.

"You took that to the movies?" she hissed. "We agreed to leave our guns in our bags! We're on vacation!"

"You can lecture me later," Nick murmured as he aimed at the door. "Get behind me. Come on."

Judy didn't argue further, and instead fell instep behind Nick as he carefully edged toward the open door. With a small swift kick to the bottom of the door, Nick entered the quiet house, his eyes sweeping the dark kitchen-living space. Judy let out a small gasp as her eyes settled on the scene, and Nick felt her paws clench his shirt. The sycamore furniture was a strew, turned over, or absolutely busted, and the cabinets had been emptied out onto the tiled floor. Making their way further into the house, the couple found that the other rooms were in similar disarray, but there was no one in the home. Nick holstered his gun and began flicking on lights.

"Who would do this?" Judy breathed as she picked up a thrown chair.

"Probably some animal looking for some cash."

"But this is a vacation rental, so how would they know anyone was even here?"

"Got lucky, I guess," Nick stated bitterly as he bent down and started picking up his clothes that had been strewn about the master bedroom.

"Or someone knows we're here."

Nick stopped and glanced up at Judy. She was standing in the doorway, her arms drawn tightly around herself.

"Carrots, this is just some random coincidence."

"Is anything ever a 'random coincidence' for us?"

"You really think someone's targeting us?"

"You don't?" Judy looked near tears, as she seemed to hold herself a little tighter.

"Like who, Carrots?"

"Her."

Judy's face flushed a light pink and she immediately looked at the floor, tears sharply stinging her eyes now. Nick's eyes widened slightly, his heart aching at the sight of the bunny's emotional response.

"Valerie," she said in a hushed voice as if the name were cursed.

Almost seven months prior, Valerie, a manipulative vixen and an ex-girlfriend of Nick's, had kidnapped and tortured Judy for nearly a month. Now in prison, the vixen no longer posed a threat, but her obsession with harming Judy had left behind more than just physical scars.

"Oh, Judy," Nick sighed as he stood and took the bunny into a firm hug that pressed her against his chest. "I know you're scared, but this is nothing more than a coincidence. This isn't her. She can't hurt you anymore, you know that. She's in prison and has no idea that we're even here."

"I know," Judy replied, biting back a small sob.

"Let's see if anything's missing," Nick said softly as he ran a paw over the back of her head. "Then we'll call the police, okay?"

With that, Nick kissed Judy on the cheek and walked into the next room, leaving Judy in the doorway. The rabbit pulled herself together, wiped away her tears, and then stood in thought for several moments. She listened to the distant sound of the ocean waves crashing on the nearby shore. Brief images of Valerie flashed through her mind, and a cold sensation flooded Judy's veins. Was this all just a coincidence that could be explained rationally, or was her gut feeling correct? As much as she wanted to believe in coincidences, Judy silently reminded herself that her gut feeling always won out.


	80. Chapter 80

Though nothing had been taken, Nick and Judy filed a report with the local police department, giving the department their credentials as they did so. After filing the report, they spent a good majority of the night picking up the home and notifying the right animals of the damage done to the beach house so that they wouldn't be charged for the damages. Thankfully, everyone they spoke with was incredibly kind, and apologized for the negative experience that had taken up part of their honeymoon. The couple slept in the following morning, not waking until nearly noon.

"Nice hair," Judy giggled when she caught a glimpse of the ruffled hair on Nick's head that was sticking straight up, defying gravity.

Nick shot her a nasty look and attempted to smooth it, only for it to bounce back to its upright position, making both Nick and Judy laugh.

"I guess I slept harder than I thought," Nick chuckled, still trying to smooth his hair.

"It was a long night," Judy shrugged as she stifled a yawn.

Nick's reply was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing from its place on the nightstand. Glancing over sleepily, he read the name on the screen, and then immediately scrambled to answer the phone.

"Hi, Mom," he answered casually, trying to mask the fact that he had just woken up. "No, no, everything's great. How are the kids?"

Judy giggled at the expression the fox gave her, as if speaking to his mother were a weekly chore.

"Be nice," Judy mouthed quietly at him, only to receive a scowl in return.

"Well, that's good. They're being good, I hope… Okay, good. You'll let us know if you need anything, right?... Okay… The trip? Uhhh…" Nick looked at Judy for an answer, to which the bunny replied with an overexaggerated nod.

"Good! It's good. We had a bit of a problem last night, but it's all fine now… No, no, someone just broke into the house–" Nick cut himself short at Judy's gestures to stop talking. "I mean–No! Mom, everything is fine! We don't need to come home, we're fine."

Judy stifled her laughter as she watched Nick try to redirect the conversation to keep his overprotective mother from panicking. Knowing that fox, Mrs. Wilde would surely take the next flight to the Canal District if she was worried enough.

"Yes, I'm sure. We are absolutely fine, Mom," Nick laughed as he watched Judy stand and begin making her way to the bathroom to start her morning routine. "You know, Mom, Judy and I actually have something to tell you."

Judy stopped abruptly, only a few feet away from the bathroom. She looked at Nick confused, and slightly tilted her head to the side to demonstrate her lack of knowledge.

"Yeah, turns out Judy's preg–" Nick faltered when he saw Judy shaking her head vigorously.

"_Not yet_!" she whispered frantically. "_Not yet_!"

"Preg–uh, promotion! Judy got a promotion at work!" Nick lied quickly. "We just found out! Yeah, I'll be sure to tell her you said that… Uh-huh, okay, I gotta go, love you!"

With that, he hung up the phone and looked at Judy.

"Mom said 'congratulations' on the promotion."

"Nick! You almost told her I'm pregnant! We said we wouldn't tell anyone until after we got back from the honeymoon!" Judy laughed.

"I know, I forgot!"

"Now your mother thinks I've been promoted. What are we supposed to tell her when she starts asking questions?"

"I don't know; I panicked!" Nick laughed as he collapsed back onto the bed.

With a content sigh and a shake of her head, Judy went into the bathroom and went through her morning routine. The two then spent the afternoon shopping in the Canal District, as Judy wanted to get a few more outfits for the kids. While they were out, Nick purchased a new Hawaiian button-up shirt that was light blue with pineapples on it.

"What? It's awesome," he had said in defense to Judy's raised eyebrows.

He, of course, wore it the rest of the day.

After dropping off their purchases at the beach house, the two headed to the Salty Iguana, a famous Canal District restaurant they had dinner reservations at that evening. Once they had been seated and ordered their dishes, the two talked over drinks – wine for Nick, and iced tea for Judy, much to her displeasure.

"Way to get me pregnant before the honeymoon, Nick. Now I can't even enjoy the many drinks they have to offer."

"I think you'll live," Nick smirked.

Judy shook her head and smiled.

"So, you've been to the Canal District before?"

"A couple of times when I was a kid. My dad had some business out here at times and occasionally brought me along."

"Tell me about your dad."

"Well," Nick paused and thought for a few moments. "He was kind of quiet, just kept to himself. He worked all over the place, but finding work as a fox used to be difficult, so we didn't have a lot of money. We moved around a lot, and Dad had all of these big dreams, but never really got the chance to make them happen. I honestly didn't know him very well."

"He died when you were young, right?"

"Yeah, and then it was just Mom and I. She didn't really like the con artist life I was living," Nick chuckled softly.

"No, really?" Judy asked sarcastically with a grin.

"Okay, Fluff, now I have a question for you."

"Okay, shoot."

"Do you ever think about doing something other than cop work?"

Judy faltered at the question, expecting anything but the question presented.

"No, why?"

"Well, I've been thinking lately…" Nick began, but didn't finish.

"You don't think I should be an officer anymore?" Judy asked, her voice expressing that she was a little hurt by the idea.

"No, that's not it," Nick immediately said. "It's just that you've been through a lot, and it might be safer if you–"

"No," Judy shook her head firmly. "I love my job. It gets dangerous, yes, but I knew that going in. I'm not quitting."

"It's just that with this second pregnancy, I worry about your health."

"Nick, I'm in perfect health," Judy laughed dryly.

"Well, you aren't really young anymore."

"Excuse me?" Judy scoffed incredulously. "I'm only thirty-three! You're forty-one! Maybe you should think about _your _health."

At this, Nick laughed and put his paws up in defeat.

"Okay, okay, I'll give you that one. I just want you to be safe."

"Nick," Judy smiled at him warmly. "Everything is going to be fine. Nothing is going to happen to me or the kids. You worry too much."

Their food arrived just as Judy finished her statement, and the two changed the subject over the course of dinner. After they finished their meal and paid the bill, the couple walked back to the beach house. The evening was warm, and the setting sun cast a golden pink glow over the area.

The two reminisced as they walked, laughing at each other's stories.

"I was not _that _hyper!"

"Carrots, that coffee made you feral," Nick laughed heartily. "I had to sit on you just to get you to calm down! You will never touch caffeine again if I can help it."

Judy laughed, turning her head to the side as she did so. Through her peripheral vision, she caught a glimpse of a slim figure walking behind them just a few yards back. The familiarity of the figure made Judy stop suddenly. Nick walked on for a few more feet, still laughing, before he realized Judy had stopped.

"Carrots?" he asked as he turned.

Judy was staring at the space where she had been sure the figure had been, but there was no one there now. Red fur, sharp features – surely, she hadn't seen her. No, she couldn't have… could she?

"Did you see that?" she asked Nick over her shoulder.

"See what?"

"There was someone following us," Judy murmured as she gestured to the empty sidewalk behind them.

Nick shrugged.

"I didn't see anyone."

A chill ran down Judy's spine, making her shiver despite the warm air of the night.

"Carrots, are you coming?"

"Yeah, sorry, I'm coming," Judy replied as she turned back toward Nick.

She continued to look over her shoulder the rest of the way to the beach house, and for the rest of the night, she couldn't stop thinking about who she was sure she had seen.


	81. Chapter 81

"Nick, I'm starting to think you don't know how to make a sandwich."

"I'm just putting the cheese on. How could I be doing that wrong?"

"You're using shredded cheese. You know we have sliced cheese, right?"

"Is there a difference?"

Judy rolled her eyes at the fox as she opened the refrigerator and retrieved the sliced cheese. Now on the fifth day of their vacation, the two were making sandwiches for lunch before spending another hot afternoon at the beach. The windows of the house were open, letting in a warm breeze and the distant noise from the beach patrons already enjoying the ocean. Nick's cellphone sat on one of the kitchen counters (now plugged into the stereo system that had been provided along with the beach house), playing through Nick's various playlists. On the couch sat a packed beach bag with towels and sunscreen, as well as the couple's bathing suits.

"Think you're some kind of sandwich expert," Nick mumbled to himself.

"What was that?"

"I was just saying how much I love you."

"Mm-hmm, sure," Judy laughed. "You know you're going to have to learn to make sandwiches properly before the kids start school, so you can help me with their lunches."

"I still have a couple of years before then," Nick said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "And even then, I'll probably just pay for the lunches they'll give them at school."

Just then, the couple both jumped at the sound of an ear-piercing scream that carried through the windows from the beach.

"_HELP_! _Someone please help_!"

Judy dropped the knife she had been using to cut her sandwich and was at the glass sliding back door in a flash, already wrenching it open as she called to Nick. "Tranq gun?"

"Got it!" Nick called as he pulled it from his belt and followed Judy out the back door.

The two quickly ran a few yards down the slope of their beach house's back lawn and onto the hot sand of the beach. There was already a small crowd beginning to form part way down the beach, where the screams were coming from.

As the couple came closer, they found it was a young female rabbit screaming. She looked absolutely frantic as she tried to tell the animals gathering around her what was wrong. She was babbling, however, and no one could really make sense of what she was saying.

"Excuse us, we're officers," Nick announced as Judy pushed through the crowd and took ahold of the disheveled rabbit.

"Ma'am, take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong."

"M-my… my b-baby!" the rabbit sobbed. "One o-of my babies is m-missing! S-she's missing!"

Judy shot a glance at Nick to ensure he heard what the rabbit had said, and then turned back to the young mother.

"When and where did you see her last?"

Almost as if on cue, just before the mother could reply, a small voice was just barely audible over the crashing waves of the ocean.

"Look!" a large male elephant in the crowd suddenly called in a husky voice, pointing. "There! In the water!"

The crowd all turned in the direction the elephant had pointed in, and sure enough, there was a small figure in the water. The figure was shrieking for help, struggling to stay above the water, fighting against the current that only kept forcing her away from the shore. The mother rabbit gasped. Judy's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the drowning bunny. The beach had no lifeguards, and it was up to one of them to save the baby. Nick had apparently already surmised this.

"Here," Nick yelled as he forced his wallet and his tranquilizer gun into Judy's paws before he sprinted toward the ocean, diving in and swimming as fast as possible toward the tiny bunny. The crowd watched in tense silence as Nick carefully, yet firmly, snatched the baby bunny up by the scruff of her neck in his teeth and began ferociously swimming back to shore.

"Someone call 911," Judy ordered the crowd as she ran toward the water, shoving Nick's wallet into her back pocket and his tranquilizer gun into the band of her jeans as she ran.

She met Nick in the waves as his feet touched the sandy bottom and she took the baby in her arms.

"She's not breathing," Nick gasped as he tried to catch his breath.

Judy quickly crouched down and carefully positioned the baby face-up on her right forearm. Cradling the back of her head with her right paw, Judy placed her left forearm on her front and used her paw to hold the baby's jaw. Nick stood behind her, saltwater dripping from his drenched clothes, and watched with bated breath. The waves crashed against the sand around them. Without any hesitation, Judy then flipped the baby so that she was facedown and delivered five firm and distinct blows to the bunny's back between the shoulder blades. Immediately after delivering the fifth blow, the baby sputtered and coughed, forcing the water from her airway.

The young mother rabbit sobbed in relief, as she dropped to her knees in the wet sand and took the baby in her arms. The crowd around them began cheering and applauding as the mother drew Judy into her grasp.

"Thank you!" she gasped as she hugged Judy tightly. "Thank you so much!"

Moments later, emergency services arrived and took care of the mother and her baby. From the snippets Judy and Nick caught from conversations they partially overheard, they learned that the mother lived just at the edge of the beach, and that she had discovered the back door was open and one of her children missing. The responding officers thanked a sopping wet Nick and Judy for their help, and the couple began walking back toward their beach house as the rest of the crowd dispersed, the situation now resolved.

"Good swimming," Judy laughed with a sigh as she wrapped an arm around Nick's waist.

Nick laughed and placed an arm over Judy's shoulders.

"All in a days' work, Officer Hopps – er, I guess it's Officer Wilde now."

"Let's leave it as Officer Hopps to avoid confusion," Judy smiled. "I can still be Mrs. Wilde."

"Sounds good to me," Nick replied as he ran a paw through his drenched hair. "How did you know to do that thing to get the kid to breathe?"

"You mean CPR for babies? It was in all of those baby books your mother gave us when I was pregnant the first time."

"Ah, right."

"You never read those baby books, did you?"

"Look, I can explain–"

"I can't believe I leave my children with you," Judy joked with a shake of her head.

"You know, I saw that bunny in the water, Carrots, and all I could think of was Violet."

"Aw, Nick," Judy smiled sweetly. "You saved that baby."

"_We _saved that baby," Nick corrected her with a grin. "And all I'm gonna say is I'm glad we don't live near a beach; that would just be one more thing to worry about."

The couple laughed as they came near the back door, then paused, looking at the water dripping off of them.

"We're going to make a mess," Judy groaned.

"We could always just take our clothes off and go in naked," Nick smirked.

"That's not happening."

"Here, let me help you," Nick laughed as he playfully tugged at Judy's shirt.

The rabbit slapped his paw away and trudged into the house, leaving wet footprints on the white tiles behind her.


	82. Chapter 82

The morning of the sixth day marked the last day of the honeymoon trip for the couple. Judy awoke to the familiar homey smell of pancakes and syrup that drifted into the master bedroom from the kitchen. She rolled over and found the other half of the plush bed empty. Still in her pink sweatpants and navy Zootopia Space Station t-shirt, Judy slid from the bed and shuffled sleepily into the kitchen-living space.

"Good morning, Fluff!" Nick greeted her with a beaming smile.

He was standing over the stovetop, a plate full of pancakes in one paw, a spatula in the other. A circle of batter was sizzling in a pan on the stove.

"Morning," Judy replied groggily as she slumped into a chair at the nearby dining table.

Nick chuckled softly at her.

"I heard you get up at least a dozen times last night," he commented. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Yeah, just some bad dreams," Judy replied nonchalantly, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Nick glanced at her from the corner of his eyes for just a moment, choosing instead to focus on the coffee he had started to pour. "Just some bad dreams" was Judy's polite way of saying "nightmares about Valerie," something Nick had come to learn over the last few months. He never pushed on the subject, but he knew they affected her more than she let on. The bunny carried burdens that, at times, she truly couldn't handle, but would never admit defeat to.

"There was also this really annoying ticking noise," Judy said a few moments later. "Did you hear it last night?"

"Ticking noise? No, I didn't."

Judy shook her head, assuming it must have been a noise caused by the air conditioning unit or something outside during the night.

"Here," Nick said as he placed a small grey mug full of coffee in front of Judy.

"I thought you said I couldn't have caffeine?" Judy smirked.

"Just this once, Carrots," Nick replied as he returned to the stovetop. "You need it."

Judy gratefully took a sip, watching Nick as he put one last pancake on one of two plates, then turned off the burners and placed the utensils he had used in the sink. He picked up the two plates and walked back to the table.

"Carrot pancakes for the wife and blueberry pancakes for the husband," Nick declared as he placed the two plates accordingly.

Judy perked up at the sight of the pancakes in front of her.

"Thank you," she said with a small smile.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Nick asked as he passed Judy the syrup.

"I was thinking just a relaxing day in. Pack at our own place. Maybe go out for lunch?"

"Sounds like a plan in action," Nick agreed with a nod.

"Our flight leaves first thing in the morning."

"I sure do love morning flights," Nick grumbled, making Judy laugh and nearly snort her coffee she was trying to drink.

The two chatted lightly over their breakfast, and once they had finished, cleaned the kitchen before beginning their morning routine to get ready for the day. The couple then lounged around for the rest of the morning, flipping through channels on the TV in the master bedroom as they slowly packed their bags. At one point, they paused their packing to watch a brief report on the news channel that was broadcasting that the police had found a body in one of the rivers in the Canal District. There wasn't much information, as the corpse had just been discovered that morning, and since it wasn't their jurisdiction, Nick and Judy continued with their packing.

"Hey, Carrots?"

"Hmm?" Judy answered absentmindedly as she sat on the bed folding her shirts.

"Have you seen my phone?"

Judy stopped and looked up with a quizzical look.

"You don't know where it is?"

"No," Nick huffed as he dropped to the floor to look for the device underneath the bed.

"Well, when did you have it last?"

Nick pulled himself from underneath the bed and stood, running a paw over his ears as he thought. "Uhh… I don't know," he answered quietly after a few moments.

"Since when do you not have your phone on you at all times?" Judy gaped at the fox. "You're practically obsessed with that thing!"

"I know, I know," Nick said with a shake of his head. "I think I had it last when we were making lunch yesterday. It was plugged into the stereo on the counter."

"Did you take it with you when we ran down to the beach?"

"No, we were in a hurry and I didn't even think about it."

Judy froze, dropping the shirt she had been folding and thinking quickly.

"The music wasn't playing when we got back," she muttered to herself.

"What?" Nick asked as he looked at her.

"The music wasn't playing when we got back," Judy repeated, this time louder.

"I don't understand."

"When we got back from the beach, the music wasn't playing, which means your phone had been disconnected," Judy said frantically, her paws gesturing wildly. "Someone took it!"

"Carrots, I don't think anyone–"

"Someone waited until we left the house, and then they took your phone."

"Carrots–"

"I bet my phone is gone too," Judy exclaimed as she jumped from the bed and began digging through her possessions.

After a few moments, she looked up at Nick.

"It isn't here."

"Carrots, I think you might have had too much coffee–"

"It's Valerie."

Judy's words cut through the lighthearted atmosphere like a knife. The room fell deadly silent as the fox and the rabbit stared at one another; Judy's eyes filled with determination, but Nick's eyes filled with worry.

"Carrots," Nick said with a gentle sigh. "Valerie is–"

"In prison, I know!" Judy cut him off. "But I know this is her, Nick! I _know_! Breaking into the house the other night, and the figure on the street, and now the phones! It's her!"

"What figure on the street?"

"She was following us when we were walking back after dinner at the Salty Iguana; I saw her!"

"You saw her?" Nick asked incredulously.

"Well," Judy faltered. "No, not exactly, but there was someone following us and I'm sure it was her!"

"We would know if she had escaped; the Chief would have called."

"We don't know he hasn't called! Our phones have been missing since yesterday afternoon!"

"Carrots–"

"No, _don_'_t_!" Judy yelled pleadingly. "Don't say 'Carrots' like that – like I'm losing my mind! Everybody acts like I'm completely broken after what happened with Valerie, and they look at me as if they're expecting me to snap any minute! I am not going crazy and seeing things, Nick, I know this is her, so could you please just _listen_ to me?"

Judy inhaled deeply, trying to keep herself from becoming too hysterical. After all, she wasn't angry, and she certainly wasn't angry at Nick; she just needed someone to back her up. She felt her paws shaking at her sides as she watched Nick's expression shift.

"Okay, I'm listening," he said with a nod as he raised his paws up in an act of surrender. "I don't think you're crazy and I don't think you're seeing things."

Though Judy could tell he was being sincere, she still wasn't fully convinced that Nick believed her on the idea of Valerie being involved. For a sliver of a moment, Judy doubted herself. She had to admit that it was a farfetched idea – Valerie escaping a maximum-security prison and tracking them all the way to the Canal District where she ransacked their beach house, followed them around, and stole their phones. Were there other things she had done? What did she want? What was the end game? Where was Culpeo?

"I'm going to the police station," Judy said firmly, making up her mind that her claims were justified. "I'm going to report our stolen phones and I'm calling Chief Bogo to tell him everything."

"Okay, I'll go with you," Nick said, picking up his tranquilizer gun from the nightstand and holstering it in the band of his khaki shorts.

Judy followed Nick to the front door, talking all the way.

"I don't understand why she hasn't done more."

"You want her to do more?" Nick scoffed.

"It's just that everything she's done on this trip has been harmless."

"Yeah, let's get ahold of the Chief and keep it that way," Nick muttered as he reached for the doorknob of the front door.

"I mean, really," Judy continued. "Since when do we get out of something like this completely unscathed?"

As the front door creaked open, Judy caught a glimpse of the sunlight streaming in, brightening Nick's red fur as he stood there nodding his agreement to the bunny's rhetorical question. Neither one was braced for the explosion that swallowed the whole front of the beach house, sending the world into darkness.


	83. Chapter 83

For a moment, Judy laid there completely stunned, the breath gone from her lungs. Her entire body suddenly ached, with her ribs sore and her head throbbing as if someone had just bashed her over the head with a baseball bat. Her ears were ringing; her jaw hurt; her face and knees were cut. The bunny blinked hard, trying to clear her head and make sense of the situation.

It was like a canon had gone off. A deafening bang had filled the air, a blast shook the earth, and the house seemed to crumble around the couple in an instant. One moment, Judy had been clinging on to Nick near the front door, then there was a black flash, and a roar of hot wind that slammed the tiny bunny across the room. Now, she was lying on the floor – or at least, what remained of it. With some difficulty, Judy pulled herself into a sitting position and let her eyes slowly scan the scene.

The room around her was unrecognizable.

The light around her was wrong, the air filled with a chemical fog that burned her nose and throat. A thick blanket of white dust clung to the air, coating everything in the immediate area, and the ground was littered with what she was sure were chunks of wood and plaster. Part of the ceiling had caved in, obliterating the room below it.

Judy stood, swaying on the spot as she tried to make sense of her location. The world around her seemed to be spinning at a dizzying speed.

"Nick?" Judy's voice came out as a rasp, her voice weak and ragged.

Judy forced her burning throat to swallow and took a single numb step forward. About a dozen feet in front of her, she thought that she could just make out the outline of the front door, now half gone and hanging off its hinges. The couple had just been standing in front of that door, talking, and now Judy couldn't make sense of her surroundings and Nick was nowhere in sight.

"Nick?"

Feeling as if she were dragging herself through a snowbank, Judy began to trudge forward through the surrounding debris. She hadn't gone more than a few feet when she saw movement on the ground, making her stop.

"Nick? Is that you?"

Judy waded a few steps closer, and Nick came into view. He was flat on his back, his body whitened with dust, nearly invisible in the wreckage. His hair was blown awkwardly upward, and the side of his left arm was striped with ugly burns. Above his right ear, there was a sticky black blotch of blood that stood out in contrast to the white.

"Nick," Judy coughed as she collapsed near the figure.

She quickly pulled the fox into her lap, cradling his head in her arms as she did so. Judy couldn't tell where the blood on Nick's head was coming from, but the burns on his arm seemed to be the worst of his condition. The rabbit touched his face tenderly, moving his right ear carefully to examine the wound. Nick whimpered quietly at her touch.

"Nick, hey, I'm right here," Judy breathed, pulling her paw back from his face. "I got you, okay? I got you."

Her paws shaking slightly, Judy ripped the sleeve of her shirt, tearing a piece of fabric away. Balling up the fabric, she placed it on Nick's head where she believed the gash to be. Applying pressure to the actively bleeding wound, Judy readjusted Nick in her lap, still talking to him as she did so. She was now looking around at the stark room again, trying to determine where the blast had come from. Nick wiggled a little under her grasp.

"Shhh, just lay back," Judy cooed. "Just relax. You're going to be alright, Nick. I'm right here."

"Tell me, did the police training academy prepare you for _this_, Judy?"

The silky voice cut through the silent chaos like a knife, sending sharp shivers right up Judy's spine, paralyzing her momentarily. Judy felt her paws go stiff, slacking in pressure on Nick's wound. The deafening sound of her own heart beating filled her ears, her breathing turned ragged. It had been months since she last heard that voice.

Judy looked up just in time to see the deadly vixen saunter out of the dusted air and into sight, a small pistol in her right paw and a dangerous smile on her face. She looked much thinner than the last time Judy had seen her, almost gaunt now as her originally full seductive figure had become boney. The dark circles under her eyes betrayed her sleep deprived state.

"You know, it really is rude not to reply when someone addresses you," the fox spat after the only reply she received was an awestruck look.

Judy was unable to speak, still paralyzed at the sight of the fox who had singlehandedly scarred her emotionally and physically more than any other criminal the bunny had faced over the years. Nick once again wiggled in Judy's lap, and the rabbit was startled when she felt one of Nick's paws slip into one of her own. At his unexpected grasp, Judy quickly looked down and found the fox awake.

Their eyes met.

"Hey, Carrots," Nick said in a thick voice.

"Hey, there, sleepyhead," Judy chuckled softly. "You've got a bad cut on your head; try not to mov–_ah_!"

In one swift movement, Valerie snatched Judy out from underneath Nick and threw her back onto the ground, kicking more dust up from the demolished floor and into the air. Judy blinked in surprise, coughing hard as she tried to catch her breath after having the air knocked from her lungs. The room seemed to spin around her.

"I'm sorry, did you think we were done?" Valerie snapped, her pistol aimed right at Judy.

"Sorry," Judy gasped. "But my manners don't really apply to psychopaths."

"I see Nicky isn't the only one with a mouth," Valerie laughed coldly.

"Leave her alone!" Nick shouted from the floor as he struggled to stand.

The blow to his head had left him dizzy and disoriented, and he struggled to focus on bringing himself to his feet.

"Oh, lay down before you give yourself a brain bleed," Valerie huffed as she forced Nick back to the ground with her foot. "You always have to play hero, Nicky, but I'm not interested in you, so do us all a favor and be quiet for once. Maybe if you opened your ears as much as your mouth, you would have known that your nagging wife was right all along."

"I knew this was you," Judy sighed, bringing the vixen's focus back to the bunny. "I've known since you broke in and tore the place apart. You just did it to put me on edge."

"You know me too well, Judy."

"You followed us around the entire trip, didn't you? Listened to all of our conversations. You bugged the house the night you broke in."

"Right again!" Valerie laughed.

"You didn't place the bomb then, though," Judy thought aloud, speaking slowly. "No, you did that when we were at the beach yesterday; helping that rabbit. We left the back door open."

"It was a wonderful opportunity," Valerie mused. "You two can't resist helping someone in danger. Even if it means putting yourself in harm's way."

"Did Culpeo do the work while you played dominatrix again?" Judy asked dryly.

A deadly expression flickered across Valerie's face.

"He's dead," the vixen snapped, flashing her sharp teeth. "I used him to get out of prison, but I didn't have any need for him after that."

"You've added 'murderer' to your resume now?" Judy said with a false expression of interest. "Didn't see that one coming… I'm assuming that was his body they found this morning."

"He's been in that river for a few days," Valerie sneered. "It'll be a while before they identify him."

"Clever," Judy remarked honestly.

"Surprised I'm not as stupid as you thought?" Valerie smirked.

"I wouldn't go that far…What do you want, Valerie?"

"It's simple really," Valerie stated as she flashed a sharp grin, circling the rabbit. "I. Want. To. Kill. You."

Each word dripped with venom, straight from the mouth of a snake. Nick watched the pair helplessly, wishing desperately he could throw himself between the two.

"Well, then," Judy snapped bitterly. "I'm all yours, _Val_."

Valerie's left ear twitched in agitation when she heard the nickname Nick had given her long ago, but a smile spread across her face easily.

"Oh, Judy," the vixen purred in a sickly-sweet voice. "I want to kill you, I _really _do, but… not just yet. I want you to _suffer_ first."

"Job well done," Judy muttered. "Are you done yet? You've already blown the house down and ruined my honeymoon."

"On the contrary, Sweetheart, I'm just getting started," Valerie sang in a honeyed tone.

Judy opened her mouth to reply, but only a soft gasp escaped her lips as she felt her lower abdomen cramp suddenly, making her wince in discomfort. The wince didn't go unnoticed. Valerie's face faltered with a moment of confusion, and Nick forced himself upward so that he could look at Judy.

"Carrots?"

"I'm fine," Judy said in a strained voice. "I just–"

Judy paused as she felt an uncomfortable warmth in her pants. Her hair stood on end, her heart skipped a beat. She was bleeding, and bleeding badly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, knowing fully well what had just been lost.

Valerie had been watching Judy's face carefully, at first confused, but she now let out a heartless laugh.

"Don't worry, Judy," the fox grinned. "You've still got the other four."


	84. Chapter 84

The Hopps Family was known for multiplying. Like every other rabbit family, the Hopps Family brought hundreds of children, then grandchildren, then great-grandchildren, then great-great-grandchildren into the world. The Hopps Family was also known for keeping its many children safe; despite the hundreds of children in the Hopps Family, none of the rabbits had ever lost a child. Family members passed away, as all animals did eventually – as was the circle of life – but not once did the Hopps Family lose a _child_. Call it luck, call it a miracle – call is whatever you like, but not once did the Hopps Family lose a child to some strange accident or horrible disease… or due to a miscarriage.

Until now, that is.

Judy hadn't needed a doctor to tell her what had happened as she lay on that demolished floor.

For the first time in what was sure to be generations, the Hopps Family had officially lost a child, or children, if you prefer to be precise.

In that moment, she had remained quiet, her entire body numb all at once. She had suddenly felt incredibly small, and the room had suddenly felt incredibly large. Waves of numbness had crashed over her, nearly drowning her.

But no matter how great a loss, or how deep the grief, the world does not stop. The sun continues to rise and set, the moon continues to journey through its phases each month, the grass continues to grow taller each day, the rain continues to fall from above. Though the loss is great, though the grief is deep, though the world _seems_ to truly stop, it does not. This is what Judy told herself as she sat in her hospital bed, hours after the explosion, watching the rain patter gently against a window just a few feet to her left.

This type of weather – a dark, overcast sky with the rain peacefully washing the streets – had always been Judy's favorite. When she was a child, the smell of rain and mud seemed to make Bunnyburrow feel more like home, a feeling that she reflected on each time it rained, no matter where she was. Rainy days had been a comfort to her when she had first moved into the heart of Zootopia, as they provided a sense of familiarity in a strange new place.

Then, a year or so prior, it was on one late afternoon, much like this one, that Judy had discovered Alan seated on the floor in their living room in front of the glass back door, his little eyes watching the rain as it drenched their backyard. Judy had smiled at her son before joining him on the carpeted floor, where the two sat and enjoyed each other's company as well as enjoyed the rain's company. From that day forward, Judy attempted to spend as many rainy days as she could on the floor of their living room in front of the glass back door, the small grey fox seated quietly in her lap. For Judy, rainy days provided a feeling of home, provided a feeling of cozy security, provided a feeling of peaceful love.

Now, as she watched the rain splatter the clear glass of the window, Judy felt nothing; felt no home, felt no coziness, felt no security, felt no peace, and certainly felt no love. The bunny could practically smell the wet grass and hear the sound of tires driving down soaked streets, but she still felt nothing. She merely sat in her bed with her paws crossed in her lap, her heart heavy, thinking about how the world does not stop for the grieving.

Thoughts of Valerie invaded Judy's mind, and she shivered at the memory of the threat Valerie had made just before she had left Nick and Judy to face the trauma of her destructive rampage once again.

"If you think this is bad," Valerie had hissed smugly. "You're really in for a ride."

Here, Judy shook herself from her thoughts and took a moment to rationalize.

Time would not be able to heal this wound or fix this type of loss, but healing is not on a timetable; she had the time she needed to heal the way she needed to heal. She couldn't let this loss paralyze her, though. She _had _to survive this. She _had _to refrain from falling to pieces, _had _to remain whole. She had four beautiful children who needed a whole mother. She had an amazing husband who needed a whole wife.

Judy sighed, feeling slight comfort in exhaling, as if she were emptying her lungs of all the bad in her life. She couldn't tell what she needed right now, and her mind felt like one massive contradiction. She was hungry, but didn't feel like eating; she was sad, but didn't feel like crying; she was tired, but didn't feel like sleeping.

She thought of the facts the Chief had told her when he had sat in the ambulance holding her paw on the way to the hospital: Valerie and Culpeo had escaped prison the first night Judy and Nick had been in the Canal District. Miraculously, their escape had gone unnoticed until just fourteen hours prior to the explosion at the beach house on Kapok Street. As soon as the Chief had learned of Valerie and Culpeo's escape, he had attempted to get ahold of both Nick and Judy, and when his efforts bore no result, he boarded a flight to the Canal District as quickly as possible. Several officers had also been dispatched to Mrs. Wilde's home, and would remain there at all hours until the escapees were back in custody.

Judy had listened to the cape buffalo, but never replied, choosing to only stare at the metallic ceiling of the ambulance during the ride. In that moment in the ambulance, she had been incredibly grateful for the Chief, as he had been the one to carefully wrap her in a blanket and carry her from the house into one of two ambulances after he had arrived on the scene.

Once again shaking herself from thoughts that pertained to the events of the day, Judy instead thought of Alan, wondering if it was raining in Downtown Zootopia and if he was seated at a window in Mrs. Wilde's cozy living room, watching the rain fall. She smiled a little at the thought. Oh, how ready she was to be home.

A small knock came at the door, startling Judy.

"Come in," she called in a small voice.

"Hey, Fluff," Nick stated from the doorway with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

The fox's head and left arm had both been bandaged. He also had a few scrapes here and there, but he looked well otherwise. Judy smiled at him as he sat on the edge of her hospital bed.

"Tired," she chuckled. "How are you?"

"Not bad," Nick shrugged. "Few stitches – nothing horrible. I've been through worse. I've already been released, and they're filling out your paperwork now."

Judy nodded, and then turned her attention back to the rain pattering against the window. Nick watched her thoughtfully. He inhaled sharply at the recent memory of her lying on a destroyed floor, dust all around her, his paw in hers after he had managed to stumble his way over to her.

"Nick, I… I think I… I think I just had a miscarriage," she had said quietly, her eyes only focused on the sinking ceiling above.

He hadn't known what to say.

The two were silent for a few moments, before Nick cleared his throat.

"The Chief said you can take a few weeks off, if you'd like."

"That's very nice of him, but I won't be needing it."

"I figured you'd say that," Nick smirked.

Once again, the two were silent. Nick thought over what he wanted to say next carefully, trying to tread lightly.

"Judy," Nick began, placing a paw on Judy's right leg, bringing her attention from the window and back to him. "Nobody knew."

"I know," Judy sighed.

"And we… we don't have to say anything. It can stay between us. Chief Bogo won't say anything either."

Judy nodded, then looked down at her paws.

"Valerie knew," she stated bitterly.

"They're going to get her, Carrots."

"No, _we_'_re_ going to get her. This doesn't change anything."

"I think this changes everything," Nick argued. "She wants you dead, Carrots."

"A lot of animals want us dead. That comes with the job."

"None of them have ever gone this far," Nick said with a shake of his head. "She's obsessed with you!"

"The feeling's mutual," Judy muttered. "I can't just walk away from this, Nick. This isn't just another case, okay? This isn't Night Howlers making the predators go savage, this isn't polar bears in a warehouse, this isn't Weaselton and his Black Market sales! This is personal."

"Maybe it's getting too personal. Maybe you should step away from this."

"I'll step away from it when the Chief agrees with you."

"He_ does _agree with me," Nick argued. "But arguing with you never works. What about knowing when to quit, Judy?"

"That was years ago," Judy scoffed, remembering her and Nick's earliest cases.

"It still applies! You think you can just throw yourself at any problem, but there are so many animals who care about you and who you care about. You have to think of them. It isn't just you anymore! We have kids, Judy!"

"I'm well aware of that, Nick," Judy defended, her voice rising. "We knew the risks of this job, _I _knew the risks of this job. It's just this one case and then we don't have to worry anymore."

"But there will always be other cases–"

"But not like this!

"Judy!" Nick stated firmly, his paws grabbing Judy's. "I will not watch you die. We have had too many close calls. We've spent too many nights in hospital beds, broken too many bones. We've gotten lucky so many times, but that luck is going to run out, and I will not raise our children alone."

The two sat in silence for a brief moment, their eyes locked on each other, amethyst staring into green before Nick exhaled slowly.

"I still remember all of those nights we spent in my crummy apartment, eating take-out, and talking over the latest case. If you asked me back then to take a guess at my future, it would be nothing close to this," Nick said as he gestured around him. "I never would have guessed that I'd end up with a rabbit as a wife and have four kids that call me 'dad.' I never would have predicted all of the bad situations we've been in. I never would have predicted all of the awful things Valerie has done to you." Nick paused and swallowed hard. "I… I never would have predicted that we would lose any children."

Judy felt a lump form in her throat at his words. Nick squeezed her paws reassuringly.

"I know you won't walk away from this, Judy. You have to finish this, I know. All I'm asking is that we do it together, that you don't think you have to finish this alone, okay? Promise me you won't finish this alone."

Judy nodded slowly.

"I promise."

"Good," Nick said with half of a smile. "Let's go home."


	85. Chapter 85

The following morning, the couple was joined by Chief Bogo on their journey to their flight departing from the Canal District at 5:45. The three arrived at the airport about an hour prior to their flight's departure time. They unloaded their baggage from the back of the cab they had employed that morning and entered the airport's main entrance. Thankfully, Nick and Judy's baggage had remained almost completely unscathed in the explosion, as the bomb had been placed so that its detonation only caused damage to the front of the beach house rather than the rear. After Nick and Judy had been transported to the hospital, and the house had been cleared for any other explosives, officers had retrieved the couple's possessions. Nick and Judy's cellphones had also been recovered in an empty beach house just a few houses down from their own. It was clear that this empty beach house had been the place Valerie had squatted at during her time in the Canal District, as several photographs of Nick and Judy on their trip were found in the home along with the cellphones. Officers had also found all of the components that had gone into making the bomb that had nearly leveled Nick and Judy's beach house.

Valerie, however, was nowhere to be found.

Her ragged mugshot was plastered over every media outlet within hours of the bombing, and reports were officially released confirming the identity of the recovered body as Culpeo thanks to Judy's information. The media was having an absolute field day with the information pertaining to Valerie, as there was much to report on – from her original kidnapping of an officer to her escape from prison to her murdering her partner to her bombing a home that two officers had been staying in. There were also several reports pertaining to Judy, as rumors circled that she would be leaving the police force as a result of the danger Valerie posed to her and her family.

After being released from the hospital, the couple had spent the last night of their trip in the same motel that the Chief had taken temporary residence in. They had talked late into the night, and then had awoken early, so they were quite exhausted by the time they reached the airport.

Despite his injured arm, Nick still insisted on carrying Judy's suitcase along with his own. The stitches on his head were not as heavily bandaged as they had been the previous day, as Nick had opted for switching out the full head wrap for small bandages. Judy followed closely behind the fox as he checked them in at an electronic kiosk and delivered their suitcases to the airport's baggage claim. She was wearing a dark green t-shirt that was just a little too big for her and black leggings, actually looking less tired than she felt.

"Ready, Darling?" he asked as he took her paw, leading her over to begin the security check procedures.

On the two-hour flight, Judy said nothing, instead choosing to rest her head on Nick's right shoulder, her paws grasping onto his arm as it laid on the arm rest that separated their seats. Nick watched her carefully, gently stroking her paws with his free one. A few times during the flight, Judy heard Nick and the Chief exchange a few words, but she was too lost in her thoughts to register what they discussed.

At about 7:45 that morning, their flight landed at the Zootopia International Airport. As the plane taxied to its gate, Nick pulled a baseball cap of his that he rarely wore from his carry-on bag that had been resting at his feet during the flight.

"Put this on," Nick whispered as he handed the hat to Judy, who looked at him confused. "Pull it down so that it covers your face."

"Why?"

"Delgato and Fangmeyer are picking up our bags," Nick continued, ignoring her question. "We're going straight to the ZPD vehicle that's parked out front."

"Nick, I don't understand."

"There are going to be a lot of reporters out there."

"There weren't any reporters at the airport in the Canal District."

"The media didn't know when we were leaving, but there have apparently been some leaks," Nick said quietly, glancing around. "I imagine some animals on the plane recognized you."

"We've dealt with reporters before," Judy scoffed, slightly amused as she pulled the baseball cap over her ears.

"Not like this, Carrots," Nick muttered as he pulled the bill of the cap lower so that it shielded Judy's face as best as possible. "Just stay close to me."

Judy assumed that Nick was just being protective of her while she was in such a fragile position after the miscarriage, overexaggerating the media presence so that she would expect more than what was actually awaiting them. Only when they exited their gate and stepped into the central part of the airport did she realize how right Nick had been. A crowd made up of dozens of reporters, all with cameras at the ready, immediately swarmed them. To add to the whole affair, almost every pair of eyes in the immediate area was focused on the spectacle that was taking place. The Chief walked a few feet in front of Nick and Judy, acting as the initial barrier between the mass of reporters that met the three.

"No comments will be made!" he called loudly. "Please step back!"

Judy felt Nick put his arms around her, bringing the bunny close to his body as he kept her just a half-step behind him so that he could push through the crowd while they followed the large cape buffalo. Judy kept her eyes on the ground as the reporters yelled her name, hurtling questions at her.

"Officer Hopps! Can you comment on the current situation with Valerie?"

"Are you worried about your safety?"

"What's the ZPD's next move in apprehending the suspect?"

"Hopps, what do you think Valerie will do next?"

The procession continued out onto the sidewalk that wrapped around the airport. An unmarked, ZPD-owned, black SUV was parked on the curb. Two officers stood on the side of the car facing the crowd, the back-right door of the vehicle open. A few more steps, and they would be in the quiet comfort of the SUV.

"Officer, should the city be worried?"

"Why does Valerie hold such a vendetta against you, Hopps?"

"Officer Hopps! You and your partner are the ZPD's best officers – are you planning on leaving the force?"

"Thoughts on where the suspect could be now?"

They were to the car now, almost inside. Chief Bogo stepped behind the couple, shielding them from the crowd with the help of two other officers as Nick moved to direct Judy into the dark interior of the parked car. Judy had one foot up on the side of the car, her paws placed on the sides of the door in preparation to pull herself upward once she shifted her weight forward.

"Officer Hopps, is it true you had a miscarriage following the bombing in the Canal District?"

Judy stopped.

One foot perched on the car's side, the other still on the sidewalk, and her arms stretched out as they grasped the door, the bunny turned back toward the reporters who had gone almost completely silent at the question that had rang out louder than the rest. In that moment, Nick couldn't help but also turn, both meeting the eyes of a young badger reporter who anxiously stared back, confirming he had been the one to ask the revealing question.

Judy felt her heart drop. No one needed to say anything; the look in both her and Nick's eyes had been enough. That split second of quiet was gone, and the reporters' questions immediately shifted to the new subject, cameras flashing quickly to catch the hurt expression on Judy's face.

"Officer Hopps, is the miscarriage rumor true?"

"How far along were you?"

"Is Valerie truly to blame for this tragedy?"

Nick quickly shoved Judy into the SUV, scrambling in behind her as he did so. The Chief quickly joined them, slamming the door shut behind them as the two accompanying officers slid into the two front seats.

As the car sped away from the curb, the group took a moment to digest the situation in the quiet confines of the SUV. After a few moments, Nick opened his mouth to angrily ask how such a critical piece of personal information had reached the media, but he was cut short as Judy's cellphone rang out from her bag. Judy slid the phone from her bag and looked dishearteningly at the caller identification on the screen: "Mom & Dad"


	86. Chapter 86

"Oh, sweet cheese and crackers," Judy sighed as she stared down at the illuminated screen of her cellphone that depicted a picture of her parents.

"You don't have to answer it," Nick said, placing a paw on Judy's leg reassuringly. "You can talk to them later."

The two watched the phone quietly, letting it ring a few more times until it went silent. Judy exhaled slowly and dropped her phone in her lap, turning her attention to the world passing by outside of the car window as they drove to Mrs. Wilde's home. She tried to lean back in her leather seat and relax, as they were almost to their destination. She would be able to hold and kiss her children soon. Judy smiled at the thought, wondering what her four beautiful children were doing at that moment, but she was interrupted by her phone ringing loudly once more.

"I have to answer it," she said tiredly after she silently read the caller identification on the screen.

"They're probably just worried," Nick reasoned.

"What am I supposed to even say?" Judy muttered.

Nick shook his head sadly as the car came to a stop in front of Mrs. Wilde's comfortable looking home.

"We'll be inside," the Chief said gruffly as he opened his car door.

Nick and Judy watched the two officers follow the Chief from the vehicle and up the slope of the small lawn to Mrs. Wilde's front porch, where they knocked on the door.

"Nick?"

"Yes?" Nick responded, turning to face the bunny.

Judy's phone was still ringing.

"Do you think I could have a minute?" she asked with a gesture toward her cellphone.

"Of course, Carrots," Nick replied quickly, kissing her on the cheek before opening the car door. He gave her one last small smile, then shut the door and turned toward the house.

Now completely alone in the car, Judy took a deep breath and braced herself. She then slid her paw across the screen, accepting the call. She tried to put on a bold face as the camera loaded and a video image of her mother appeared.

"Is it true?"

Her mother's voice was anxious and hurried. Judy opened her mouth to play dumb, to ask what her what she was talking about, to pretend that everything was perfectly fine, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything in defense. She felt a crushing pressure building in her chest, a sob now building in her throat as tears began to sting her eyes.

"Yes," she cried quietly.

"Oh, Judy," her mother sighed, heartbreak in her voice. "I just saw the news."

"I was afraid you would. I should have told you."

"How far along were you?"

"Eight weeks," Judy said as she wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I know that's not very far along, but–"

"Judy, don't apologize; it doesn't matter how far along you were, Honey. It's still going to hurt, and animals understand that. I can see why you didn't tell anyone, and I'm sorry you have to now. This isn't fair to you."

"I know, I just–" Judy sobbed, unable to continue.

She shook her head, lowering it into her free paw.

"I know, Honey, I know," her mother said gently. "Take a moment to breathe. Just take your time."

Judy inhaled shakily, trying to calm herself with little success.

"I just wish you were here," she finally choked out.

"I'll head up there then."

"No, no," Judy said quickly with a small smile, wiping the last of her tears away as she spoke. "I'm okay. Don't come all of the way out here."

"Well, alright," Judy's mother nodded, still not looking entirely convinced. "But you let me know if you need me, and I'll be there as fast as I can, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you, Mom."

"Now, tell me what happened, Dear."

Judy recounted the events of the honeymoon trip to her mother, trying to include as many details as she could remember. Her mother listened intently, asking questions here and there. It took Judy a while to talk about the explosion and its aftermath, as it still made her emotional, but she was able to get through it and she felt the pressure in her chest lighten as she finally let her feelings out. It was almost an hour later when she finished, and once she completed the story, she found that she was crying again, and that her mother was near tears.

"You were so brave, Judy, _so _brave," her mother sniffled. "I am so proud of you and all you have accomplished."

"Thank you for talking to me, Mom; I really needed it."

"You will get through this, Judy. Give yourself time to grieve. I love you, Honey."

"I love you, too, Mom."

With that, the call ended. Judy lowered her phone and sighed heavily.

"I will get through this," she repeated to herself quietly. "I will get through this."

During that hour that Judy and her mother talked, a similar conversation was being had inside Mrs. Wilde's home, as Nick explained to his mother what had happened on their trip while she boiled water in a kettle for tea. Chief Bogo and the two accompanying officers sat in the living room adjacent to the kitchen, watching Nick and Judy's four children – an uncomfortable responsibility for the three who had no real experience with children.

"I don't know how to be there for her right now, Mom," Nick said with a shake of his head after he had brought her up to speed. "Usually I know what to say or do, but this is something that affects her internally more than it does me. I'm upset, of course, but it's clear that this is just… _eating _at her. She feels so far away, and I don't know how to reach her."

"Nicholas, I don't think you'll ever be able to reach her on this. She's been through so much – you both have! But this… this is something that truly questions her very being. Right now, she's blaming herself because she genuinely thinks that this miscarriage proves she isn't capable enough – that she isn't _strong _enough – to protect her own children."

"But that isn't true at all!"

"Exactly," Mrs. Wilde said gently. "But Judy has always been afraid of failure, and to her, this is the ultimate failure. And on top of all of that, now the whole city knows – thanks to the media! None of us can possibly understand how she's feeling right now."

Mrs. Wilde retrieved the kettle from the stovetop and refilled her mug, sighing deeply as she did so. Nick watched her quietly, knowing from experience that his mother had more to say.

"Nicholas," she continued. "Judy is a brilliant rabbit; she's an excellent officer, mother, and wife. When I first met her about four years ago, you two were in the hospital after that polar bear accident and you had just learned you were expecting. At first, I thought 'Nicholas, a father? Oh, dear.' But when I met that rabbit, I knew you two were going to be just fine. You couldn't have picked a better animal, Nicholas."

"Thank you, Mom," Nick smiled.

"_We _know that Judy is phenomenal, but right now, _she _doesn't know that. We need to remind her."

Nick mulled this over for a minute before looking up at his mother with a grin. "Do you think you could watch the kids for one more day?"

"Of course, Dear. Is everything okay?"

"I think I have an idea."


	87. Chapter 87

"Nick, where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, Carrots. Keep your eyes covered."

"We've been walking forever and–"

"Oh, look out!" Nick exclaimed as he quickly steered the blind bunny out of the way of a lamppost. Judy gave a noise of annoyance.

"Can I take off the blindfold so I can at least walk properly?" she asked.

"Hey, I'm doing a great job of guiding you."

"You let me hit a mailbox a few blocks back!"

"Yeah, but you have to admit," Nick chuckled. "It was pretty funny."

"Nick!"

"We're almost there, I promise."

It was a warm Sunday morning, and the streets of Downtown Zootopia were fairly quiet as most animals took the last day of the week to sleep in or handle their weekly chores before heading back to their respective jobs on Monday morning. It had been a week since the couple had returned from their honeymoon trip in the Canal District. Following their return, Nick and Judy had primarily focused their schedules on spending time with their children after being gone for a week. They had had a busy first week back, as they had returned to work on Tuesday, where they were met with a flood of activity as Valerie was still missing. The media had also been quite an issue, as reporters swarmed the ZPD and the Wilde Family residence as often as possible, tossing questions out at a rapid pace. Headlines all over the city read "Renowned Officer Miscarries After Deadly Encounter with Escaped Convict."

Judy's miscarriage and her ties to Valerie were the hottest stories, and they were grossly exaggerated and exploited for viewership. Chief Bogo had held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, reassuring the public that the ZPD was doing everything to apprehend the suspect, while also asking the media to be considerate of the Wilde Family in such a delicate time. This press conference seemed to somewhat deter the media, but the family was still hounded on a regular basis. After Nick and Judy's return, several officers had also been dispatched as security for the Wilde Family, following them when they left the house and patrolling the neighborhood when they didn't. These officers served not only as a barrier between the family and the media, but also as a thick layer of protection against Valerie.

At home, the Wilde Family tried to return to their definition of normalcy. With the kids' shared fourth birthday in just a few weeks, Judy and Nick tried to focus on planning a party that suited all four of the kids' wildly different interests.

Internally reminding herself to just keep moving forward, Judy attempted to busy herself constantly – from jogging around the neighborhood to cleaning the house to reading, Judy seemed to always be doing something nowadays. At times, her thoughts would turn back to Valerie, and each time, she would inhale deeply and say "stop" aloud to herself. Nick had noticed the newly developed habit, but said nothing, as he knew it was Judy's way of processing. He was worried about her, but he followed her lead and attempted to keep moving forward, not prying at how she was feeling even when he wanted to.

That morning, Nick cashed in on his favor toward his mother and drove the children to Mrs. Wilde's home before Judy had awoken. After the several minutes of convincing it took to get Judy to put on a blindfold, the couple began their journey out onto the streets of Downtown Zootopia, their security following behind at a reasonable distance.

"And you said this is an 'all day thing?'"

"Yep."

"But what about the kids?"

"They'll stay with my mom until we pick them up later this evening."

"We leave them with your mother so much," Judy sighed. "One of these days, they're either going to start assuming we've abandoned them, or your mother will lose her mind."

"It's just one day, Carrots," Nick laughed. "You worry too much."

Judy gave another small noise of annoyance as Nick continued to steer her forward along the sidewalk, some passerby giving them intrigued looks. After a few more moments, Nick stopped and turned Judy to her left.

"And here we are," he announced as he removed her blindfold.

Judy blinked against the light, then looked up at the sign over her head that read "Jumbeaux's Ice Cream Shop." Recognition dawning in her eyes, the bunny immediately grinned. Seeing her smile, Nick felt pride swell in his chest; Judy hadn't smiled like that since before the explosion.

"Oh, Nick," she said affectionately. "Is this–?"

"Where we first met?" Nick finished her question with a smirk. "Yes, yes, it is."

_"…Officer...?"_

_"Hopps! Mr…?"_

_"Wilde, Nick Wilde."_

Judy smiled wider as she remembered the first time she had laid eyes upon the hustler, Nick Wilde.

"We haven't been here in years," she breathed.

"We aren't quite done yet, Carrots. Today, we're taking a trip down memory lane," Nick dramatically announced. "We're going to go to all of the places that hold memories for us."

"Are you being serious?" Judy laughed.

"Deadly," Nick chuckled. "Come on."

Holding paws, the two left the ice cream shop and set out on their journey.

Their second destination was a bridge on the outskirts of the city. Here, Judy had found Nick after their first fight over the biological nature of predators as described by Judy in a press conference following the wrongful arrest of Mayor Lionheart in the Night Howler case. It was under this bridge that Judy and Nick had settled their differences and made up, Judy crying her apology.

"You know," Nick laughed. "You looked good in your farm clothes."

Their third destination was a diner just a few blocks from the ZPD where the two had frequently picked up take-out from in their earlier years as officers. The fourth destination was just a few meters away down from the diner, as it was the coffee shop where the two had gotten coffee almost every day over the years, and where they had taken part in an epic game night that sparked a bet between them. The fifth destination was Nick's old apartment that the two had eventually shared.

"This is so illegal," Judy hissed as she watched Nick pick the lock to the apartment.

"Relax," Nick smirked. "The apartment's vacant, and besides, you can't tell me you don't want to see it after all of these years."

"You've got me there," Judy agreed with hesitation.

"Got it," Nick said pridefully as the door swung open, revealing the small apartment, now unfurnished and completely empty.

Both breathed a content sigh at the sight of their first home. Here, they had spent late nights discussing the cases they were working on, had confessed their love for one another, had fought and made up, had started their lives together.

Their sixth destination was the Zootopia Maximum Security Prison, where Nick had officially asked Judy to be his girlfriend, something she finally agreed to a little while after.

"Romantic," Judy chuckled as she looked up at the large grey building.

"Hey," Nick shot back. "This is where everyone asks their mate to go steady with them."

Their seventh destination was the parking lot of the Zootopia Police Department, where Judy had first told Nick she was pregnant on his birthday in their SUV. The eighth destination was their current home, which was their first house they bought together in order to welcome their children with more space. In their current home, Nick had proposed not just once, but twice, officially moving them into the next phase of their lives. The ninth destination was the Hospital of Zootopia, where Nick and Judy had spent quite some time, in all honesty. However, the place held good memories as Nick and Judy had unofficially married each other here right before Judy had given birth to their four healthy children.

Their final destination brought them to the Zootopia Natural History Museum, where they had not only finished their first case many years ago, but had also married each other only a few months ago. Judy looked around the empty event room and sighed happily.

"Right to you," she smiled as she looked at Nick and repeated the phrase the two had coined to help with their anxieties that came with their wedding day.

"Right to me," Nick said as he returned the smile and pulled Judy in for a kiss.

When the two broke apart, they remained in each other's grasp, still staring at the large room.

"Thank you for doing this, Nick," Judy said quietly. "I needed this."

"I know you did."

"I can't believe we've been together for eight years."

"Yeah, we're going to have to get divorced just to add some spice to our life."

Judy broke out laughing. "Yeah, because our life doesn't already have enough spice."

"I love you, Carrots."

"I love you more."

"Frankly, that's debatable."


	88. Chapter 88

That night, Judy awoke to a strange noise.

It was late, the moon casting a muted gray light on the end of the bed and the floor, the house completely silent with the exception of the rain hammering the windows. Judy could hear the distant late-night traffic in Downtown Zootopia and smiled lightly at the image of tires sliding across wet pavement, the smell of rain in the air. Moving slowly, the bunny sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before glancing over and chuckling at a snoring Nick, sprawled across his side of the bed. Judy held her breath, taking in the thunderstorm silence of the night around her; it was almost comforting. Almost.

Judy felt her fur prickle as her ears straightened to attention, listening intently to the silence that suddenly took on an eerie quality. The children were fast asleep in the next room – but no, they couldn't be; a strange noise was coming from the baby monitor seated on Judy's nightstand. The noise was quiet, barely audible through the sound of the rain outside. It was the kind of quiet Nick would shrug off with a smirk and a casual reply of "it's nothing, Carrots," but something inside of Judy knew better. She looked at the little monitor curiously, then retrieved a dark object from beneath her pillow and tucked it into the band of her pajama pants before sliding from the bed and moving to quietly sneak out of the master bedroom. As Judy moved for the hallway, a curious thing happened – in a very rare moment, her head was advising her differently than her heart. Her head rationally told her that the sound must be one or more of the children awake and tossing around in bed, but her heart – no, her instincts – told her something dangerous was lurking in the night. Unfortunately, a form of exhaustion that stretched much deeper than waking up in the middle of the night prevented her from accurately recognizing this difference between her head and her heart.

Judy wasn't paying enough attention to see that the light in the next bedroom was on, it's soft glow apparent through the opening at the base of the door. Still a little sleepy, the rabbit watched her paws as she opened the door leading to the children's bedroom, letting it click softly open before looking up in a momentarily confused haze and coming face-to-face with something straight out of her nightmares.

There stood Valerie with a tiny Alan cradled against her left hip, and a pistol in her right paw.

"Hi, Judy."

"Valerie," Judy breathed, glancing at Alan and then at her three other children who were huddled together in Violet's bed, whimpering slightly. "What are you–?"

"Call Nicky," Valerie commanded, cutting Judy off. "We don't want him waking up and alerting the authorities without our knowledge, now do we?"

Judy nodded, nervous and still in a tired haze. Judy's heart had sunk when her eyes had rested upon Valerie and Alan, and now she almost felt hopeless. For a brief moment, Judy had a horrific vision of a tiny coffin and–

"Nick!" she called loudly, shaking herself from her thoughts as she knocked on the wall that connected the two rooms – something the couple did during the night whenever one needed help with the children and the other was in bed.

The two listened as Nick obediently shuffled out of bed and toward the children's room at the noise.

"I'm coming, Carrots, what's–?"

Nick stopped at the sight of the scene, absolutely speechless.

"Good," Valerie grinned. "Come have a seat with your other children, Nicky."

"Get out of my home, snake," Nick growled, immediately flashing his incisors.

"Now, Nick," Valerie shot back coldly, gesturing the gun toward the baby fox in her arms and making both Nick and Judy flinch slightly. "You don't want to lose any more children now, do you?"

Without another word and a very concerned look directed at Judy, Nick moved past his wife and sat down with the other three children, taking them into his arms and shushing them gently.

"You are insane," Judy said angrily, her blood beginning to boil. "I won't let you do this to my family."

"What are you going to do, Judy? Dart me and then send me back to prison?"

"Not this time," Judy breathed.

The bunny then pulled a small handgun from the band of her pajama pants and aimed at the vixen. Unbeknownst to Nick, she had started carrying a second gun with her after they were attacked in the Canal District. The gun never left her body. She was ready to end this fight, and she had been ready for a long time.

"I am going to kill you," the rabbit hissed.

At the sight of the gun in Judy's paws, Valerie faltered slightly; this was not Judy's police-issued tranquilizer gun. Nick blinked in surprise at the sight of Judy holding the gun that was meant to kill rather than subdue; there was a cold look in the rabbit's eyes.

"We've been going back and forth for months, and it ends today," Judy said, her voice dropping down a few octaves. "The way I see it, there are two options here: you can put my son down and go back to prison without a fuss, and I can assure you no harm will come to you."

At this promise, Valerie scoffed, but Judy continued.

"There are a lot of animals who want you dead, Valerie, but I promise you will be given the highest security the ZPD can offer," she paused, her eyes deadly and her voice dropping to a hiss. "But if you refuse… well, then I am going to empty the clip in this gun – and I can assure you that I never miss a shot."

"Is that so?" the vixen spat back.

"It is," Judy said with a small chuckle. "Unless you kill me, of course. But I think we both know I'm a lot tougher than I look. Failing really isn't a characteristic of mine."

The vixen could only laugh a hollow laugh at Judy's threats, but Judy felt Valerie's nervousness, saw her body tense.

"Surprised?" Judy asked playfully.

"You think you're so tough, Judy, Love, but you're only inflating your own ego."

"Oh-ho, _I_'_m_ the one inflating their ego?" Judy laughed dryly. "You're only here because I've hurt your feelings more than anyone else."

"Hurt my feelings? What are we – cubs?"

"Admit it, Valerie, I have everything you want. I have a job you failed to attain, married the fox you never stopped having feelings for, had his children. I built my life from the ground up, and have done it again and again over the years. You think you can come in and tear it all down? You haven't even made it over the fence," Judy spat with venom.

Valerie only stared, a grimace on her face. It was evident she hadn't been expecting this level of resistance from the bunny. The claws were out, that was clear.

"Now, put my son down," Judy said coldly after a few moments of stale silence. "Or I will shoot you."

"Did you really think it was going to be _that_ easy?" Valerie sneered back quickly. "You aren't in charge–"

"No, I don't think you understand," Judy said loudly over the fox. "I'm done with your games and I'm done listening to you talk. Now, _put my damn son down_."

"And what if I say 'no,' Judy? Are you really going to shoot me in front of your family, shoot me while I'm holding your baby? Don't tell me you'd allow him to be traumatized in such a fashion."

"Nick, take the children outside," Judy stated coolly, her eyes still on Valerie.

"Carrots, don't listen to her; she's only trying to anger you," Nick whispered.

"Well, it's working," Judy remarked bitterly. "Take the kids outside. They don't need to see this."

"Carrots, I'm not going anywhere," Nick argued, his voice rising with agitation.

"Go," Judy said firmly. "Unless Valerie here objects?"

"Not at all," Valerie replied sweetly. "This is between us. I'll attend to them later."

"Well, then it's settled. Take them to the car, Nick."

"Judy, you can't be serious–"

Judy shot a glance at Nick. To Valerie, the glance exchanged between the two looked threatening, almost toxic, but between the couple, the message read loud and clear: "trust me."

Without another word, Nick scooped the three remaining children and quickly ushered them out of the room, leaving Judy and Valerie (and, of course, Alan) alone.

"Feel better?" Valerie smirked.

"Much. Put him down."

"_No_," Valerie said defiantly. "Come on, Judy, Sweetheart! Don't just _stand there _with that look in your eye, and your paw on the trigger, throwing threats at me. _Do_ something!"

Judy only remained still, letting the tension in the room peak as she watched Alan wriggle uncomfortably in the vixen's grasp.

"You want to know why you can't pull that trigger?" Valerie laughed violently. "You're _weak_!"

"Why don't you put that gun down and find out just how 'weak' I am?" Judy smirked.

An evil grin flickered across the predator's face.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Yes."

Without a moment's hesitation, Judy took aim at Valerie's right shoulder and fired. Before Valerie could even register the noise of the gun or the sudden pain spreading through her shoulder, Judy was on top of her, both guns cast aside, a shocked Alan wrestled from the fox's grasp. Then the bunny was gone, racing toward the front door with her son cradled against her chest. She slid down the carpeted stairs before immediately throwing herself right and down the hallway that led to the front door, which had been carelessly left open just as she had known Nick would do. The terrifying growls coming from Valerie not far behind pushed Judy harder as she ran for the exit.

"_NICK_!" Judy screamed as she turned and slid hard into the open door to stop herself. Nick was there, just at the base of the porch steps as he had already been running to get back to Judy after hearing the gunshot. In a split second, the couple's eyes caught one another through the pouring rain, their expressions wild. Without a moment's hesitation, Judy threw Alan in an upward arc out of the door just before a furious Valerie slammed into her. Judy saw Nick dive forward and catch the little fox in his arms. At the same time, she kicked her feet out in an attempt to stop the fox who was now viciously snapping her razor-like teeth at the bunny.

"_GO_!' Judy screeched at Nick again as she kicked Valerie backwards and dove at her.

Nick, torn between his wife and his children, hesitated momentarily. Shaking himself mentally, Nick tore away from the spot in front of the porch and ran for the black SUV parked in the driveway, where he rapidly buckled a stunned, but surprisingly silent, Alan into his seat. He then jumped into the driver's seat and roughly backed the car into the street. He didn't even have time to think of Judy as he shifted the car's gear and sped from the neighborhood, snatching up the police radio's microphone from the dash as he did so.

In the house, Judy fought for her life as she heard the SUV's tires screech away. The rabbit kicked, punched, and scratched at the fox, attempting to free herself so that she could make her way back upstairs to the children's room where she knew two guns were lying on the floor. Valerie made it nearly impossible, lunging at her repeatedly, her teeth only centimeters from Judy's face.

"Oh, hell!" Judy yelled in an exasperated voice. "I am so _sick _of you! I can't get one minute to myself without you threatening my family or blowing up my house!"

Judy managed to slam the fox into one of the surrounding walls in the hallway and tried to make a dash for the stairs, only to be snatched by Valerie once again. Judy kicked away, scrambling up the steps. Valerie on her heels, Judy managed to make it to the children's bedroom and attempted to slam the door, but the vixen's strength outmatched the rabbit's. The two struggled with the door for a few moments before Judy turned and dove for the nearest gun that happened to be her own. Valerie tackled Judy once more just before the bunny's paw could grasp the weapon, this time sinking a bite into Judy's right arm as the two collapsed on the floor.

"_Ah_!" Judy cried out in pain, still struggling and now feeling her energy beginning to quickly leave her.

Judy was barely able to hold Valerie off as she let out a loud growl and lunged once more, her now-bloodied teeth flashing. The bunny looked around her wildly, her gaze darting across the window in the room and then darting back quickly at the shocking sight that hadn't quite registered with Judy in the first glance. The window was open.

Judy quickly jumped to the conclusion that this was how Valerie must have gotten into their home, but her thoughts then jumped to little Alan and his love of the rain. Here, Judy's head rationally told her that Valerie had opened the window, but her heart – no, her love for her son – told her Alan had naively opened that window to smell the rain and may have just saved her life in doing so. She preferred to believe the latter.

With that, Judy mustered her last bit of strength and kicked at Valerie with everything she could give. The vixen fell back momentarily with a hiss, giving Judy just enough time to snatch the gun. However, Judy knew that if she turned to shoot at Valerie, she couldn't ensure she would hit her target even if she was able to fire off a shot before Valerie tackled her again. She also knew that if Valerie tackled her before she fired, she wouldn't have enough strength to prevent the fox from wrestling the gun from her grasp. No, Judy didn't shoot – in fact, she didn't even turn – she took a couple of long strides and pushed her way out of the window.

Everything then happened very fast. Judy didn't have enough time to scream before she was tumbling on to the top of the gazebo that protected the patio in the backyard and then sliding ungracefully to the flooded ground below. She then ducked for cover when several gunshots sounded from above as Valerie fired her retrieved gun from the window the rabbit had just leapt from. After three missed shots, Judy heard the vixen growl, then heard nothing but the rain pummeling down, the eerie silence in the thunderstorm filling her ears once more. The bunny wiped the water from her face and struggled to her feet, gun in paw, prepared to fight the monster she knew was coming.

Moments later, the glass door that connected the house and the backyard slid open violently, and a nasty growl echoed through the night as a now feral Valerie launched herself on all fours through the rain toward Judy. The image before Judy reminded her of a savage Mr. Manchas racing toward her one rainy night in the Rainforest District many years ago. Though both predators shared the common characteristic of wanting to kill Judy, Mr. Manchas had had no control over his actions, whereas Valerie dreamt of the moment she could tear the bunny apart and that made all the difference.

_Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Click! Click!_

The fox collapsed on the ground with a sickly thud, completely still, blood and water soaking her fur and clothing. Judy heard the fox gasp once, then there was nothing but the sound of the rain.

"Oh, God," Judy gasped as she fell back on the wet ground, the emptied gun still in her paw.


	89. Chapter 89

"Then you flip the bucket over and pat the top just like this – there ya go! Then – ta-da! You have one of the towers for your sandcastle!"

Judy smiled as her four children marveled at the perfect tower of sand she had produced from the little blue bucket.

One year, four weeks, and two days.

It had been one year, four weeks, and two days since Valerie's death. To Judy it felt like it had just happened yesterday, but it also managed to feel like it had happened years ago, perhaps in a past life. She didn't have nightmares anymore, didn't have to remind herself to keep moving forward each day, didn't have to say "stop" aloud to prevent her negative thoughts from creeping in. No, she found that these things had disappeared once Valerie had. Now that didn't mean she didn't still feel the shockwaves of Valerie's actions in her life. There were times when Judy would catch herself staring out into the backyard through the sliding glass door, her mind empty and a strange hole aching somewhere in her chest.

Quite a bit had changed in one year. Another Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, Easter, and Fourth of July had passed. Birthdays had also passed; Judy now thirty-four-years-old, Nick now forty-two, the kids now each five. Judy and Nick had also celebrated their anniversary marking one year since their marriage while also celebrating their anniversary marking nine years since their first case that brought their two individual worlds colliding into one another.

Both Nick and Judy had since returned to work following the official close of the case against Valerie. Judy had been welcomed back by her colleagues with a soft mentality, which she couldn't quite decide if she liked or not. The bunny had even received a medal for her "heroic actions in the face of adversity," as Chief Bogo had so professionally put it in his opening speech; another thing Judy couldn't quite pinpoint her feelings on. With this strange hole now aching somewhere in her chest, Judy had decided to slowly pick up on a routine of seeing the ZPD therapist, Itali Wolfard, though she didn't know if it was truly helping or not. After returning to work, the couple had also made the decision to willingly open themselves up to interviews and press conferences discussing the most popular case since the Night Howler incident, giving full disclosure on how Valerie had become so intricately involved in their lives and how bad the damage she had caused truly was. Judy had even surprised Nick – and the rest of Zootopia – in one particular interview with ZNN when she calmly stated that she was "still open to the possibility of having more children" when asked about her rumored miscarriage.

One year, four weeks, and two days later, it seemed that life had returned to normal for the Wilde Family. Following the kids' fifth birthday party, the family had decided to take a family summer vacation and return to the Canal District for a week in which they explored the busy stores, the Zootopia Space Station, and the sunny Beach of Zootopia.

"Again, Mommy! Do it again!" the children demanded of Judy, making her laugh as she happily complied to their wishes and began scooping sand into the bucket.

"Alright, I've got six snow cones here," Nick announced upon his return from the Snow Leopard's Snow Cones stand on the boardwalk.

Judy chuckled at Nick's dangerous attempt to balance six small plastic cups in his arms as the children abandoned their amazement in her sandcastle abilities and squealed happily at the sight of the flavored ice.

"Cotton candy for Violet, cherry for Robin, lemonade for Red, and green apple for Alan," Nick designated as he handed the children their treats, who each happily ran off to play under the two umbrellas the family had set up on the warm sand. "Blueberry for me, and carrot for the beautiful wife," he finished with a smile.

Judy returned his smile warmly as the fox sat down next to her in the sand and handed her a cup.

"Blueberry, huh?" the bunny joked.

"Carrot, huh?" Nick shot back with a smirk.

"You'd like it if you tried it."

"I highly doubt that, but it's cute of you to try."

A moment of silence fell between the couple as they enjoyed their snow cones. With the sound of the salty waves crashing against the warm shore, and their children behind them giggling as they played, the scene seemed to breathe a sense of comfort around them. After some trepidation, Judy nibbled her lip and let out a sigh.

"Do you ever view our life as like – oh, I don't know – maybe a movie? Or maybe a badly written book?"

"I wouldn't say badly written," Nick chuckled. "Maybe a little rocky with the constant ups and downs, the emotional pulls, and the drama, but we always come back for a fluffy conclusion."

"Do you ever take anything I say seriously?" Judy laughed as she teased.

"No, not really," Nick said in a melodramatic fashion. "My character was written to be too flawed, Carrots."

The bunny and the fox laughed as Judy threw a playful punch and Nick attempted to avoid it.

"You know," Judy sighed again as she turned her attention to the vast blue ocean. "For a long time, I wanted to blame someone for what happened. I wanted to blame you when Valerie first started threatening us. I wanted to blame the academy for not teaching me enough when she kidnapped me. I wanted to blame the ZPD when it took a month for me to finally come home. I wanted to blame the prison system when she escaped, and so on. All of this time, I've been trying to blame someone – sometimes others, sometimes myself – and now that it's all over, I could take the easy way out and blame Valerie for it all. In fact, I'm sure that's what everyone is expecting, or maybe even wanting, but what good does that do? Blaming her, or anyone else for that matter, doesn't change anything. Blaming her isn't going to make the scars or the bad memories go away, or-or bring back what we lost."

"I blamed myself," Judy breathed. "For things I had absolutely no control over, and all it did was make me feel alone, like I was lost, even though I never went anywhere. It always felt like this weird mixture of this feeling where I wanted to be angry and to just break things, and this feeling where I just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry until I couldn't cry anymore. Everything was so conflicting and confusing. Everything is s_till_ so conflicting and confusing."

"Like?" Nick asked gently, listening carefully as he urged the bunny forward.

"Well, like," Judy hesitated as she stared intently ahead. "Like maybe I don't want to be an officer anymore."

Their eyes met as the sentence settled uncomfortably between them, a slightly stunned look on both of their faces.

"Well, that was sudden," Nick finally said with furrowed eyebrows as he set his snow cone aside.

"The Chief offered me a retirement plan, Nick."

"Wait, he what? When?"

"I could stay at home with the kids," Judy reasoned, ignoring his inquisitions.

"But," Nick struggled. "You've wanted to be an officer since you were a kid."

"I think my wants have changed, Nick."

"What do you want now?"

"I want my family to be safe," Judy said softly. "I want to be able to come home and go to bed at night knowing our children won't ever have to worry about the monsters in the closet turning out to be real. I don't want to have to wake up to a strange noise in the middle of the night to find one of my babies in the arms of a murderer."

"Carrots, that will never happen again."

"Nick, we never thought it would happen to begin with."

Nick paused, his jaw briefly falling open to form a reply that never came. Judy reached out and took his right paw in her left.

"Nick, I'm tired of talking about the temporary solutions. We can double security around our home, we can move across the city, we can take a sabbatical, we can take desk jobs, but how long until we encounter another case that puts us in the hospital for the umpteenth time?"

"You're my partner, Judy," Nick said in a hushed tone, hurt in his voice. "I can't do this job without you."

"And you're my partner, but I don't think I can do this job anymore," Judy said while reassuringly squeezing the fox's paw. "Nick, I want to have more kids, but I will never take that risk again while in this job."

"Carrots," Nick began, catching a glimpse of the look in Judy's eyes. "…you've really thought this through, haven't you?"

"Not entirely," Judy chuckled lightly. "I'm not really sure just yet. It's a lot to take in. This may just be a phase of mine, but I'll be honest in saying I'm considering it. It's just so–"

"Conflicting and confusing?"

"Exactly," Judy laughed.

"Well, then we will figure it out together," Nick said with a smile as he returned the reassuring squeeze to Judy's paw. "And I will support you in whatever you decide, Darling."

Judy made to respond, to tell him how much she loved him, but the couple's conversation was quickly interrupted by their children now demanding their shared want to go swimming.

Though this tough conversation was far from finished, it could wait until later. After all, both the bunny and the fox acknowledged that their story – no matter how badly written – was far from over. There would be more family vacations, more anniversaries, more birthdays, more decisions, more laughs, more tears, more fun, more disagreements, and more love. Maybe there would be more monsters like Valerie to shake their world, maybe there would be more children to fill their home, maybe there would be more cases solved by the partnership of Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde to fill their memories, but for now they were just that – "maybe." The little couple had come a long way from their first encounter a decade before, a long way neither had expected but both had thoroughly enjoyed. The knowing when to quit, all of the muzzling, the shared secrets, their family and its beginning, their Wilde wedding, and their honeymoon – not to mention the hilarious yet regretful bunny espressos, the betting they did on each other, every time they had worked it out, all of their little firsts with their children, and the great conversations – it had all led to this blissful moment on a beach with their children.

With that, Nick and Judy merely shrugged and happily swept their children off to swim in the ocean's blue, leaving the "maybe" to be dealt with at another time.

* * *

**Well, there it is!**

**It's crazy to think that I published my first Zootopia story in March of 2016, and it's even crazier to think that we're now here in January of 2020, almost four years later. During that time, I published twelve Zootopia stories, I posted over 100 chapters, and I wrote over 150,000 words, all of them meaningful to me and hopefully, meaningful to you as well. I knew my work wasn't complete until I compiled all of these stories and put them all in one place for my readers to access, and now here it is!**

**Thank you all so much for reading my Zootopia stories, for all of the reviews you have left, for all of the ideas you've given me, for all of your patience with me, and for all of your help in improving my writing and story-telling. Since my last published story, I have gone through and edited each of my previous Zootopia stories, so I always welcome you to read back through them if you want to view them separately. I will also be working to finish the one-shot collections "Little Firsts" and "Conversations" in due time, but I am going to be taking a break as I get back into the flow of things after a fairly rough 2019. Again, I would love to hear requests for any future one-shots!**

**Words really can't express my gratitude to each and every one of you. I hope you all had a wonderful time over the holidays. I wish you all the best in your endeavors, and hope that life treats you well. Here's to an amazing 2020!**

**Much love,**

**TatorTotTottish**


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